The Team
The team draws upon a unique mix of expertise and previous experience of academics and community partners in research and co-creation activities. These cover domains as diverse as architecture, philosophy, community theatre, organization studies, community-led design, design management, cultural geography and media and communications.
Our collaboration involves 6 current and previous projects within the Connected Communities programme:
- Media, Community and the Creative Citizen
- Valuing Community Led Design
- Scaling up Co-design
- Bridging the Gap between Academic Rigour and Community Relevance
- Unearth Hidden Assets
- Revisiting the mid-point of British community studies
Dr Giota Alevizou, – The Open University (PI) has researched the intersections between media, technology and culture with a particular emphasis on community building, learning and knowledge generation
Dr Katerina Alexiou – The Open University (Co-I) brings expertise on design methods and collaborative design
Dr Theo Zamenopoulos – The Open University (Co-I) brings expertise on the psychological and social conditions that enable creativity and approaches for community formation
Ms Catherine Greene – Royal College of Art (Co-I) brings expertise in user-centred design and design ethnography
Prof Mihaela Kelemen – University of Keele (Co-I) brings expertise applying cultural animation approaches to management and organizational studies
Dr Martin Phillips – University of Leicester (Co-I) brings expertise in community studies as well as social and cultural geography
Dr Busayawan Lam – Brunel University (Co-I) brings expertise in user requirements research, design management and social innovation.
Community Partners
Sophia de Sousa from The Glass-House Community Led Design comes with an experience in working with communities engaged in design and placemaking.
Susan Moffat from The New Vic Theatre has an extensive track record in community engagement via dramaturgical techniques such as cultural animation.
Our international community partners are: a) Atenistas, an open community of citizens who organise local actions in the areas of architecture, culture and civic society; b) Lina Liakou, as part of a knowledge exchange with the RA LAB/ReactivateAthens.
Advisory Committee & Knowledge Exchange
Prof Chris Speed – University of Edinburgh (Web 2.0 Community Hacking – AHRC)
Dr Myria Georgiou – London School of Economics and Political Science (Community through Digital Connectivity – LSE Seed Funding)
Dr Melissa Butcher – the Open University (Hackney as Home – ESRC)
