Scott Currie

Biography

Scott D Currie is an experienced Industrial Designer, Educator, Researcher and Strategic Innovator. Scott has been a Sessional Professor at Sheridan for the last 12+yrs in the Faculty of Engineering and The Industrial Design Program. He has also opened 3 of the newest and leading innovation studios for PDSB, CAMDT [ Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies] facility at Sheridan and has subsequently been recognized by the Prime Minister for his Educational leadership of Design & Innovation. With over 20yrs experience of additive manufacturing, Scott has led research teams from Princess Margaret, Sick Kids Hospital and McMaster University for multiple health applications and pre surgical practices that improve all patient experience and patient services combined.

He is a passionate designer, who embraces process. In his own words;

Since my time in education, I have been very fortunate to learn the value of foresight. It has been a backbone within my teaching practices. With a passion for exploring various methodologies, I have always surrounded myself with specialists in their field and find inspiration in their work and skillset. Through various initiatives and relationships fostered, I have come to learn and put emphasis on not just the power of human-centered design but its ability to develop systems and processes to incite positive change. We, as designers, are in an exciting time of transformation, and with the current state of flux, we have been given the ability to directly enforce creative methodologies and cultural validity, along with an offer to unbox and articulate the change that is required to thrive in a given area.

There are new problems and exciting playgrounds that can be intrinsically explored. With such passion for change, I have looked to the health care sector as a unique opportunity for authentic research and value. Over the past 15+yrs, my research has allowed me to understand the complexities and competitive silos that exist. While many systems ultimately want the same thing, they are motivated with different outcomes. As a designer and professor, I value empathetic inclusiveness and respect people’s cultures while adding veneration and value to design to implement crucial change. Through partnerships, SMEs, and other connecting business platforms, students gain the best educational experience. These valuable opportunities for building connections must be implemented for significant change to occur.

My methodology to learning has always been through the power of collaboration, a tiresome word, but with colloquies at the same table, improved thinking and meaningful action can begin. How can the students of today fully embrace the change that is needed? This is something that I ensure is inclusive in every pursued project. It is through holistic thinking, understanding of challenges, and the effective use of the design process that begin to motivate ideas to the level of applied design and this first step continues to drive the basis of my design philosophy.