School of Design Innovation Te Kura Hoahoa

Student profiles

View student profiles from the School of Design Innovation and find out why they enjoy studying here.

A portrait photograph of a person sitting at a table.

Āwhina students

Meet some of the students who've been involved in the Āwhina programme and find out how it helped their study.
Portrait of a person in a digitally superimposed suit of armor.

Tamati Kawha

Meet Tamati, a Master’s student who is honing his video production skills at Victoria University of Wellington.
An motion blurred image of someone coming down stairs.

Jess Noone

For Jess, Wellington was the perfect place to explore her creative side and get amongst the city’s inspiring design scene.
Luminous design on a black background.

Nicole Hone

Find out how the Bachelor of Industrial Design course has helped Nicole grow as a designer.
A digital graphic of human armor.

Flavia Rose

Joining the School of Design Innovation as a BA graduate has led to some exciting opportunities for Flavia-Rose—including the chance to work at Weta Workshop.
A collage of photographs.

Sean Harris

Sean enjoyed how his Bachelor’s course allowed him to put his study into practice.
A set of shelves made out of wood and black metal.

Ellen Crane

Meet Ellen, a student with a passion for industrial design, and find out how that earned her a foot in the door at Weta Workshop.
A digital graphic of a landscape.

Ryan Achten

The Master of Design Innovation course introduced Ryan to new design fields, including creative coding and 3D media.
A photograph of the top of a golf ball and club.

James Irvine

For James, switching to design studies has led to exciting research opportunities and a career in interior architecture.
A digital graphic of cube-like shapes.

Rebecca Jervis

Meet Rebecca, a student with a passion for digital design, including animation, app and game design.
A portrait photograph of a person.

Molly Leishman

Molly has been inspired by the way her studies have brought her love of people and communities together with her creativity.
An tablet computer photographing a work of art.

Jonathon Bishop

Jonathon's Master of Design Innovation thesis explored the way augmented reality can enrich our understanding of the world.
A colourful graphic of a person's head.

Dipanwity Biwas

Dipanwita Biswas, a postgraduate student from India, explored her identify through two cultural tropes.
Aportrait photograph of a person.

Ana Morris

"I wanted to make objects with meaning and purpose."
Will Barber at Garage Project.

Will Barber

Media Design alum, Will Barber uses skills he gained studying at the University's School of Design Innovation to create award-winning websites.
Steven Almond places a cushion on the 30 year sofa he designed for his Master's research.

Steven Almond

MDes student, Steven Almond saw postgraduate study as a chance to expand his skill set and consider what the circular economy could mean for industrial design.
Katie O'Brien

Katie O'Brien

After completing her undergraduate studies, Katie O’Brien knew she wanted to narrow the focus on something she was really passionate about in a Master’s degree.
Ananya Khare uses weaving machine

Ananya Khare

Ananya Khare’s Master of Design research is exploring the use of textiles and craft in creating circular economies.
Daniel Gardner

Daniel Gardner

In his Master’s project, Daniel explored how to illuminate the problem of plastic wrappers and waste through photography.
Alicia Esquivel writes on post it notes.

Alicia Esquivel

Alicia says studying in the Master of User Experience Design offered her the opportunity to learn the ropes and get into the industry quickly.
carym Wharera sat in front of mac in design. studio

Carym Wharerau

Carym Wharerau hopes to use his degree in Communication Design to influence the design sector through a Māori/indigenous lens.