Society Committees

In 2018, the Design Society strengthened its organisation by the establishment of a number of Standing (permanent) and Ad Hoc (temporary) Committees.These Committees comprise mainlycurrent and past members of the AB, but also some members, who may not have a current formal role in the BM/AB structure.

The Committees address the following general needs of the Society:

• Engage AB and (as needed) other Society members in ongoing Society activities in a continuous and systematic manner.
• Directly support the workload of the BM and its decision-making within specific focus areas.
• Advise and support individual BM members that have responsibilities for specific Society tasks.
• Study specific issues as they arise and provide actionable advice to the BM.

Each BM member serves as BM liaison to one or more of the committees. Each AB member serves on at least one of the committees.

Design Society 2040 Vision

Core values: 
• Scientific Excellence – Upholding the highest standards of rigour and transparency in research, ensuring knowledge is both reliable and transformative. 
• Industrial and Societal Relevance – Tackling real-world challenges through impact-driven research, delivering tangible benefits to industry, the environment, and society. 
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration – Integrating expertise from engineering, design, and beyond, fostering holistic solutions. 
• Sustainable Innovation – Leading responsible design and engineering practices that align with global sustainability goals. 
• Inclusivity and Global Connect – Creating an open, diverse, and engaging community where ideas and talents flourish across borders. 

STANDING COMMITTEES 2025-27

Communications and Website Committee (previously Communications Committee)
Advise on internal and external Society communications, including website, newsletter, social media, and general marketing and publicity. Focus for the coming two years, is to develop strategies for selecting appropriate channels to inform DS members and stakeholders about various events, advice on how best to keep our different membership constituencies informed and how to raise awareness about the Design Society and its activities. Particularly in a time where many activities have been online and mostly confined to known audiences, we are also interested in discussing how to further strengthen our communications to potential new colleagues and collaborators. 
Members: Yvonne Eriksson (chair), Dieter Krause, Monica Bordegoni
BM Liaison:Ola Isaksson 
Previous Chair (2023-25): Dieter Krause (Communications) 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee
Propose practices that the Design Society can adopt to support equality, diversity, and inclusion for all its members. The focus for the coming two years is to identify how the DS can actively contribute to fair treatment and equal opportunities for all, with the aim of reducing bias, prejudice, and discrimination based on individuals’ protected characteristics at different levels. The committee should also follow up on and further develop mentoring initiatives, and clarify what is needed to ensure that the DS meets the ambitions outlined in its Vision and core values.
Members: Sophie Hallstedt (chair), Claudia Eckert, Julie Stal-Le Cardinal, Ian Whitfield
BM Liaison: Joshua Summers
Previous Chair (2023-25): Sophie Hallstedt

Events & Membership Committee (merger of Events Committee and Membership Committee)
The Events and Membership Committee is responsible for overseeing and developing the Design Society’s events and membership framework. Recognising that events are central to recruitment, engagement, and community building, the committee aims to ensure the strategic alignment and development of future events in support of the Vision 2040 objectives. It is important to capture and build upon best practices, and to propose shared support mechanisms across DS-owned, co-owned, endorsed, and SIG-led events. The committee is also tasked with proposing updates to existing event formats and, where appropriate, developing new event models for the future.

In parallel, the committee reviews and develops membership policies, structures, and fee models, strengthens SIGs as entry pathways into the Society, and supports engagement across the full membership lifecycle. The merger of these responsibilities reflects the strong interdependence between events and membership development. Coordination with the ad hoc Early Career and Doctoral Training Committee is also required, although some overlap in representation is expected.
Members: Ross Brisco (chair), Gaetano Cascini, Stanko Škec, Kilian Gericke
BM Liaison: Mario Štorga
Previous Chairs (2023-25): Sandro Wartzack (Events), Joshua Summers (Membership)

Honours and Awards Committee
Manage awards for Fellows and Honorary Fellows; define possible other awards and associated processes.
Members:Lucienne Blessing(chair), Panos Papalambros,John Gero, Armand Hatchuel, Dorian Marjanovic, Margareta Norell Bergendahl,Christian Weber
BM Liaison: Kristin Paetzold-Byhain (Incumbent DS President)

Industry and Society Relations Committee
Identify strategic needs and priorities for competence, knowledge, and research in areas of industrial and societal relevance. This includes recognising new opportunities for industry, as well as emerging constraints such as regulations, policy developments, and societal expectations, and considering how the Design Society can contribute to addressing these challenges and needs.

The committee should communicate external expectations, challenges, and opportunities from industry and society to DS members, thereby supporting stronger external relations. It should also propose and develop materials that enable DS members and representatives to communicate the value of design research and education to stakeholders in industry and society. In addition, the committee should formulate and propose forums through which the Design Society and its members can interact with stakeholders in industry and society, enabling the exchange of ideas, expectations, and perspectives.

The committee is tasked with addressing the actions and strategies required to ensure that the Vision 2040 objectives can be achieved in these areas.
Members:Matthias Kreimeyer (chair), IrisGräßler, Benoit Eynard
BM Liaison:Ola Isaksson
Previous Chair (2023-25): Iris Gräßler

Instructional Design Resources Committee
Systematically develop the Design Society’s knowledge repository. Evaluate and improve recent initiatives, such as the modular design knowledge repository (Design Society Exchange, based on the UC Berkeley inherited solution), and explore ways to enhance the functionality and usefulness of such platforms.

The focus for the coming two years is to evaluate the first round of content developed with the SIGs and to propose a scalable solution for future development. The committee should also consider the relationship with emerging technologies and approaches, such as OER (Open Educational Resources) and e-learning environments. In addition, the committee should develop a strategy for how the Design Society Exchange can best be used as a platform for knowledge sharing and knowledge development among DS members.
Members: Arlindo Silva (chair), Daniela Pigosso, Panos Papalambros
BM Liaison: Ola Isaksson
Previous Chair (2023-25): Francesca Montagna

Liaison with Other Societies Committee
Develop an understanding of overlaps and potential synergies with other societies and assess opportunities for collaboration. Work with the Industry and Society Relations Committee on potential joint advocacy and lobbying activities. The focus for the coming two years is to foster coordinated events with other societies (e.g. CIRP, ASME, DRS). The committee should also extend this exploration to other relevant societies that are not primarily focused on Design Science but may be interested in specific partnerships, such as multidisciplinary research or education initiatives. The committee should seek to promote design research in collaboration with related communities and organisations. In the context of Vision 2040, it should propose strategies for how the Design Society can collaborate with other societies in order to reach the desired strategic position.

Members: Roland Lachmayer (chair), Yaoyao Fiona Zhao, Pascal Le Masson
BM Liaison: Kristin Paetzold-Byhain
Previous Chair (2023-25): Claudia Eckert

Publications Committee
The traditional publication landscape is undergoing significant transformation, and it is important to proactively explore and advise on how the Design Society’s publication instruments can combine strong reputation and academic rigour with new ways of reaching broader audiences. As the publishing landscape continues to evolve and several journals develop stronger design-focused ambitions, it is essential to understand and communicate the changing publication environment. This includes the role of DS report publications, its own publication series, and the position of the Design Society in relation to design-oriented journals.

The committee should also provide guidance and recommendations for future actions, including the piloting of new publication approaches and initiatives.
Members: Carolyn Seepersad (chair), Serena Graziosi, Gaetano Cascini
BM Liaison:Anja Maier
Previous Chair (2023-25): Michael Kokkolaras

Sustainability Code of Conduct Committee
Build further on the first inputs created by the committee in the last period, regarding how the DS promote sustainable behaviour, research, teaching and communication about Design Science. Focus for the coming two years, is how to proactively promote sustainability, through our activities as a society, both with respect to Design Science and in terms of the way in which we operate (incl. international travel, inclusion of sustainability in our research, conferences, teaching, etc.).
Members: Benjamin Schleich (chair), Albert Albers, Francesca Montagna
BM Liaison: Anja Maier
Previous Chair (2023-25): Benjamin Schleich

AD-HOC COMMITTEES

Regional Development Committee (Ad-Hoc)
At present, there is a global “regionalisation” trend, and Design Society is no exception. There is a need to understand and support the initiation, establish and manage regional chapters and other regional initiatives. The India community is booming, the old Asia Chapter needs to be replaced, the North America community is renewed, and there are several communities considering forming a chapter or other forms of regional development. 
Members: Tim McAloone (chair), Boris Eisenbart, Yaoyao Fiona Zhao
BM Liaison: Mario Štorga

Early Career & Doctoral Training Committee (Ad-Hoc)
The early career members are an important group of members. This ad hoc committee is tasked with gathering and collecting the members services, current and proposed, that ensure that early career members feel welcome and find meaningful activities through the DS membership. There are already several instruments in place, such as PhD forum, summer schools and mentorship mechanisms. We need to “think through” what services are available and might be needed, compile these so that early career members can attend and engage. There is an intended overlap in with the events and membership committee to coordinate.  
Members: Pascal Le Masson (chair), Stanko Škec, Alan Air
BM Liaison: Joshua Summers

PREVIOUS COMMITTEES

Committee reports are the result of the work of the committees.Thismay not reflect the values of the BM or newly implementedpolicies.

Body of Knowledge AD-HOC Committee
The result of the work of this committee is at this link.
Members: Petra Badke-Schaub, Lucienne Blessing (chair), Yong Se Kim, Carolyn Conner Seepersad.
BM Liaison:Georges Fadel

Code of Conduct AD-HOC Committee
The result of the work of this committee is at this link.
Members:Petra Badke-Schaub (co-chair), Chris McMahon (co-chair), Harrison Kim, Yukari Nagai.
BM Liaison: Panos Papalambros

Who we are AD-HOC Committee
The result of the work of this committee is at this link
Fostering a discussion around unique strengths of the DS and its distinct expertise
Members: Kilian Gericke (Chair), Yoram Reich, Michael Kokkolaras, Ola Isaksson
BM Liaison: Claudia Eckert

Young Members Committee
Maintain engagement of young members, including continuing membership and special events. Identify specific values that the Society can offer such as career development.
Members: Julie Stal-Le Cardinal, Phil Cash,Daniela Pigosso,Joshua Summers,Peter Törlind (chair)
BM Liaison: Kristin Paetzold

20th AnniversaryAD-HOC Committee
Preparations for the celebration of the Design Society 20th Aniversary.
Members: Philip Cash, Margareta Norell Bergendahl,Serena Graziosi, Camille Jean, Udo Lindemann, Dorian Marjanović (Chair), Chris McMahon,Massimo Panarotto,Christian Weber,Maria Yang.
BM Liaison: Panos Papalambros, Tim McAloone