Victor Papanek Social Design Awards are launching this year and the competition is open to designers and students who have developed a product, in realised or protoyped stage, which "aims to achieve net zero environmental impact, or which offer social benefit to underserved segments of society or which are driven by socially responsive considerations".
The judges will also consider Design Concepts not yet fully realized or produced but in development "which address transdisciplinary design perspectives on urbanization, in areas such as housing, transportation, accessibility (inclusive design), communication, social and medical care, and the implications of national and international migration."
Perhaps the textile/fashion students who are entering the VF/TFRC Competition may have developed design concepts that would be approporaite for this Award as well. The winners will be exhibited in exhibtions in both Autsria and at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in New York, and the application deadline is June 1st.
Nottingham Trent University has announced the following opportunities to study for an PhD under the supervision of Professor Tim Cooper. The first is a PhD Studentship in Consumers and Possessions: A Cross-Disciplinary Exploration of Sustainable Practices. This is a cross-disciplinary studentship involving research into how people use their possessions and the built environment with regard to sustainability and the implications of this for design practice. One of its key elements will be to relate knowledge in sustainable architecture, sustainable fashion and sustainable product design. For further information please visit here The closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 15 April 2011.
The other offer is the Vice Chancellor’s PhD Studentships – Sustainable Design / Sustainable Consumption / Product Longevity. Research proposals are invited for entry to a competition for one of twelve Vice Chancellor’s PhD studentships. Proposals supported by the Sustainable Consumption Research Group may be on any theme relating to sustainable design or sustainable consumption. Proposals relating to the life-span of consumer durables are especially welcome. For further information please visit here. The closing date for applications is Monday 18 April 2011. Image: Alistair Fuad-Luke's Design Seeds Workshops 2009
