Open to academic · learning design · research opportunities

RESEARCH · DESIGN · EDUCATION

Designing learning, spaces and ideas with purpose.

PhD-qualified academic, educator and human-centred design researcher with experience in higher education teaching, curriculum development, academic leadership, applied research and industry-engaged design practice.

10+years in higher education
30+peer-reviewed publications
PhDGold Medallist
Portrait of Sadia Farooq
Human-Centred Design
Learning & Curriculum
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ABOUT

Where academic research meets design and education.

I am an educator, researcher and designer whose work connects interior and environmental design, educational leadership, curriculum development, digital learning and inclusive education.

My background includes university teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, studio-based and project-based learning, research supervision, academic leadership, curriculum innovation and scholarly publication. In Australia, I have expanded this experience through VET training and assessment, educational leadership in early childhood education, education-support work in school settings, and project-based interior design and training activities.

Observation is central to my work. I am interested in reading everyday environments—understanding how people experience a space, how its arrangement influences their activities and behaviour, and how thoughtful changes can make that space more supportive, functional and meaningful. My approach goes beyond how an environment looks to consider how it is understood, used and adapted by the people within it.

My current interests sit at the intersection of interior and everyday environments, education, human behaviour, inclusive practice and digital technologies. I welcome opportunities for academic collaboration, applied research, teaching, learning and curriculum design, research supervision and interdisciplinary projects.

01

Academic Teaching & Leadership

University teaching, research supervision, mentoring, curriculum development and academic service.

02

Learning & Educational Design

Inclusive, experiential and technology-enabled learning across university, VET, early childhood and school contexts.

03

Research & Design Practice

Interdisciplinary research exploring environments, education, human behaviour, digital technologies and everyday experiences.

04

Writing & Knowledge Sharing

Books, academic publications, blogs and accessible ideas connecting research with everyday life.

05

Digital Innovation & Creative Practice

Design-software expertise, digital content creation, social-media communication, and practical mentoring to help people develop ideas and begin purposeful initiatives.

ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

A career across teaching, leadership and practice.

Select a role to see key contributions.

Delivered undergraduate and postgraduate teaching across Interior Design, Human-Centred Design, Housing, Environmental Design and Sustainability, while contributing to curriculum development, applied research and HDR supervision.

  • Designed studio-based, project-based and experiential learning activities.
  • Supervised undergraduate, MPhil and PhD research and design projects.
  • Integrated design thinking, sustainability and environmental psychology into teaching.
  • Supported academic advising, student engagement and quality assurance activities.

Combined higher education teaching with curriculum innovation, research supervision and industry/community engagement in an interdisciplinary design environment.

  • Taught Interior Design, Housing, Home Management, Environmental Design and Sustainability.
  • Contributed to programme review, curriculum enhancement and research-led learning.
  • Facilitated industry-sponsored and community-based design projects.
  • Mentored students and contributed to academic administration and programme coordination.

Led the Home Economics department while teaching across all year levels and managing academic, operational and laboratory requirements.

  • Managed curriculum delivery, class scheduling and teaching timetables.
  • Coordinated departmental planning, resources, laboratories and equipment.
  • Designed and assessed theoretical, practical and studio learning.
  • Provided student mentoring, academic support and departmental leadership.

Delivered interdisciplinary teaching in Product & Industrial Design and postgraduate MPhil/PhD programmes.

  • Interior Design for final-year BS Product & Industrial Design students at UET.
  • Postgraduate teaching in colour and light, environmental management and related research areas.
  • Research-informed teaching integrating sustainability, evidence-based design and environmental psychology.

Supports residential and commercial design projects through digital documentation, visualisation, space planning and workplace learning.

  • Uses Revit, AutoCAD and SketchUp for drawings and visualisation.
  • Contributes to design concepts, documentation and client-focused solutions.
  • Supports onboarding and software training for interns and new team members.
  • Applies human-centred and evidence-based design principles in practice.

Delivered learner-centred vocational education and competency-based training within an Australian VET context.

  • Facilitated classroom and practical learning.
  • Supported culturally diverse learners through feedback and mentoring.
  • Used digital learning resources and inclusive teaching approaches.
  • Contributed to assessment, learner engagement and compliance-aligned practice.

Contributed to the professional delivery of university examinations within a high-integrity academic environment.

  • Supported the professional delivery of university examinations.
  • Maintained academic integrity and compliance with examination procedures.
  • Assisted students and responded to examination-related enquiries.
  • Collaborated with university examination teams across campus venues.

Led and supported inclusive educational practice across early childhood settings, connecting programme quality, educator development, sustainability and family engagement.

  • Led inclusive educational programs aligned with the EYLF and NQS.
  • Mentored educators and supported reflective professional practice.
  • Contributed to quality improvement, sustainability and cultural responsiveness.
  • Strengthened family engagement and children’s participation in learning.

Support inclusive learning, participation, behaviour and wellbeing in diverse Victorian school settings.

  • Support students’ learning, participation, behaviour and wellbeing.
  • Work collaboratively with teachers across diverse classroom settings.
  • Adapt communication and learning support to individual student needs.
  • Promote safe, respectful and inclusive learning environments.

EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

Student-centred, experiential and future-focused.

My educational practice connects academic knowledge with authentic design, industry and community contexts. It promotes learner agency, collaboration, co-creation, reflective practice and purposeful use of digital technologies.

01

Studio & Experiential Learning

Authentic projects, applied problem-solving, collaboration, visual communication and reflective practice.

02

Curriculum & Learning Design

Subject design, curriculum mapping, programme review and continuous improvement across higher education, VET and educational settings.

03

Assessment, Mentoring & Supervision

Assessment design, constructive feedback, student mentoring and supervision from undergraduate projects through to higher degree research.

Interior DesignHuman-Centred DesignInterior Space PlanningEnvironmental Design Sustainability in DesignDesign ResearchDigital Design ToolsStudio PracticeFurniture Design Colour & LightLandscape DesignResearch MethodologyErgonomicsHistory of Interior ArchitectureEthnography & DesignPrinciples of Management

HOW I WORK

From evidence to meaningful experience.

My work moves between research, design and education. I use a human-centred process to understand context, develop practical responses and evaluate what creates meaningful change.

01

Research

Gather evidence, context and user insight.

02

Understand

Identify needs, behaviours and constraints.

03

Design

Translate evidence into purposeful ideas.

04

Develop

Build learning, spatial or curriculum solutions.

05

Facilitate

Support participation, learning and collaboration.

06

Evaluate

Review outcomes through evidence and feedback.

07

Improve

Refine practice through reflection and iteration.

RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS

Research shaped by people, place and practice.

Explore my research, higher-degree supervision, publications and scholarly activities across interior and environmental design, human behaviour, sustainability, design education, children’s environments, ergonomics and people–place relationships.

30+peer-reviewed
publications
01 HUMAN-CENTRED ENVIRONMENTS

Lighting, Behaviour & Spatial Experience

Research examining lighting, ambience, environmental psychology and the ways people perceive, use and respond to interior environments.

02 SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS

Materials, Landscape & Environmental Performance

Research across green building materials, living walls, ventilation, landscape design, adaptive reuse and sustainable spatial practice.

03 DESIGN & EDUCATION

Curriculum, Digital Design & Learning

Scholarship connecting design education, curriculum development, digital design tools, professional learning and research-informed teaching.

04 CHILDREN, ERGONOMICS & WELLBEING

Supportive Environments for Children

Applied research exploring children’s furniture, ergonomics, learning environments and design decisions that support comfort, participation and wellbeing.

FEATURED RESEARCH

Move from research themes to the full-text evidence.

Open selected papers directly, or explore the complete searchable research and publications profile.

18 Full-text articlesExplore Research & Publications →
30+ peer-reviewed publications 4 research themes 3 PhD + 6 MPhil researchers supervised PDF full-text access

SCHOLARLY ENGAGEMENT

Research grows through conversation, review and collaboration.

Beyond publication, my academic practice includes presenting research, contributing to peer review and editorial service, and building connections across industry, community and interdisciplinary research contexts.

01 CONFERENCES & RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Conferences & Research Presentations

Conference papers, invited presentations, research seminars and academic talks.

02 EDITORIAL & PEER-REVIEW SERVICE

Editorial & Peer-Review Service

Editorial-board appointments, journal reviewing and wider scholarly service.

03 COLLABORATION & RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT

Collaboration & Research Engagement

Industry-engaged research, international connections, community initiatives and interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities.

PROJECTS & PORTFOLIO

From studio learning to community and industry projects.

FEATURED CASE STUDY
Role: DesignerFocus: Spatial experience

Wilksen’s Café Presentation

Interior design project presentation demonstrating visual communication, spatial thinking and applied design practice.

ChallengeDesign responseVisual outcome
Open project PDF →
INDUSTRY-ENGAGED LEARNING
Role: Academic facilitator

Furniture Renovation

Applied learning projects supported by industry stakeholders, materials, mentoring and feedback.

OutcomeAuthentic project-based student learning.
LANDSCAPE & PLACE
Role: Educator

Landscape Restoration

Student projects exploring landscape design, environmental improvement and user-centred place making.

ApproachResearch → site analysis → design response.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Role: Learning-space designer

Seminar Room Renovation

Real-world redesign and upgrading projects linking design education with practical institutional needs.

OutcomePractice connected directly to institutional needs.
COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN
Role: Workshop facilitator

SOS Children’s Village Workshops

Annual workshops focused on improving residential interiors, space planning and home environments through participatory learning and design knowledge translation.

MethodParticipation, observation and knowledge translation.
CURRICULUM
Role: Curriculum contributor

Programme Development

Contributions to BS Interior Design, MS Interior Design, MPhil curriculum, Landscape Diploma, smart syllabus initiatives and Home Economics curriculum development.

FocusProgramme review, mapping and continuous improvement.

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Academic depth with practical breadth.

Academic degrees and professional qualifications are separated for quick, clear scanning.

Current
MASTER OF EDUCATION

Master of Education — Digital Futures & Innovative Practices

University of Melbourne, Australia

2010
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

Housing, Home Management & Interior Design · University of the Punjab

2003
MASTER’S DEGREE

Master of Science (MSc)

Housing, Home Management & Interior Design · University of the Punjab

2001
BACHELOR’S DEGREE

Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Housing, Home Management & Interior Design · University of the Punjab

2023
TRAINING & ASSESSMENT

Certificate IV in Training & Assessment — TAE40122

Australia

2023
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care — CHC50121

Australia

2023
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care — CHC30121

Australia

2023
BEHAVIOUR & INCLUSION

Registered Behaviour Technician Training

Autism and disability-focused professional training

CURRENTLY OPEN TO

Meaningful opportunities in higher education and learning design.

Sessional Teaching Learning Design Academic Coordination Curriculum Development Research Collaboration
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LET'S CONNECT

Open to collaboration, teaching and learning design opportunities.

I welcome conversations about academic collaboration, sessional teaching, curriculum and learning design, research, human-centred design and interdisciplinary projects.

Location

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Professional focus

Higher Education · Learning Design · Research · Human-Centred Design