Dr Isil Onol

Isil Onol is a creative consultant, curator and a design studies lecturer in higher education. Isil held academic positions as a senior lecturer, external examiner and programme leader previously and taught at several UK institutions such as University of the Arts London, Ravensbourne and University of Lincoln before taking up her role here in September 2023. She has industry experience in graphic design through creative agency work and previous full-time employment with the BBC as a designer.

Isil’s doctorate (awarded in 2012) was in the intersecting field of design, art curation, museums research and haptic technologies. Her thesis investigated the role of ‘touch’ in interpreting museum and gallery objects through artistic collaboration and creative practice inquiry to propose new inclusive methods. Her research contributed to museums literature and generated public outputs, including tactile exhibitions with special focus on haptic technologies and visual impairment. Taking a critical stance to colonialist and ableist approaches in existing design and museum practices, she is interested in generating links between design justice and higher education curriculum.

Isil’s external roles included Artistic and Quality Assessor for Arts Council England and editorial board membership of The Design Journal.