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Role

Karen Winfield is Course Leader for Year 2 BSc (Hons) Product Design and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture & the Built Environment. Alongside this, she leads the employability program within product design. She advocates industry engagement for the course and leads the Industrial Liaison Committee (ILC).

She has 25+ years of industrial experience with a passion for creating real-world opportunities for young designers to help shape themselves in their early careers.  With a strong focus on innovation and regenerative design, she helps to promote this within the course through partnerships in live projects.

She is a member of the Institute of Engineering Designers (IED) and a Senior Fellow of the High Education Authority (SFHEA). She undertakes progressive development by initiating new and innovative delivery within curricula resulting in published research.

Career overview

Karen commenced her career working in a consultancy in Canada in 1992, alongside an international team of designers, working predominately on the west coast of America and Canada. After a number of years working in product design, exhibit, and marketing, she led new business for the group extending the portfolio of work with American clients and broadening the portfolio of projects into furniture and medical. As BCID board member she led the Northwest Coast representation for Industrial design.

Returning to the UK, she went on to lead the design and human factors department for Bombardier Transportation: an appointment that defined the integration of Human Factors in rolling stock for the London underground trains and shaped the integration of design within engineering at the Derby site. Her interest in the built environment then translated into a role with Tesco Property, becoming the Head of Design to shape the transformation of the retail environment and footprint for the future. After this, she moved into an appointment to lead new business for an Architectural/brand agency in London.

In 2018 Karen aimed to translate her years of experience into education and took on a role as external support for Derby University in interiors. In 2020, her career came full circle to return to product design to share her extensive experience, breadth and depth of knowledge across sectors of transportation, built environment, retail and consumer products and her enthusiasm for the role of Senior Lecturer of Product Design at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Her passion and enthusiasm is infectious. She shares her commercial awareness in her role as employability lead and leads the department’s Industrial Liaison Committee (ILC)  seeking opportunities for students to engage with industry.

As part of NTU, Karen has developed her practice within product design and became a Senior Fellow of the HEA. She is keen for students to find their place and create pathways for their careers. She is an ambassador for industry/student engagement, developing the Work Like Experience (WLE) agenda for the school, promoted through cross-disciplinary projects, live industry briefs, and industry events, whilst also developing student’s professional practice and confidence.

Karen is an advocate of industry collaborations and seeks opportunities to enhance student experiences and future career opportunities.

External activity

Karen is External Examiner - Product Design, Bangor University on a 5-year tenure until 2029.

Over her career Karen has worked with a variety of organizations within sectors of Transportation, Manufacturing, Construction, and within different workplaces: Consultancy, Client and Manufacturer.

She has been a board member of BCID (British Columbia Institute of Designers) and Northwest chapter member of the IDSA (Industrial Designer Society of America) and is currently a member of the IED (Institute of Engineering and Design)