Monash University Associate Professor Leah Heiss has been named Chair of the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, signifying a new era for the awards program.
The current Eva and Marc Besen International Research Chair in Design at Monash Art, Design and Architecture (MADA), Heiss is a six-time Good Design Awards winner, most recently taking out the Australian Women in Design Award.
Humanity sits firmly at the core of Heiss’ designs, which provide solutions for a range of impairments and diseases. Her wearable technologies are part of the Museums Victoria and Powerhouse (MAAS) heritage collections and have been exhibited to global audiences. She also delivers new health models in conjunction with the World Health Organisation, Alfred Health and Turning Point.
“Being selected as the Chair of The Premier’s Design Awards is a game changer for my career. I am committed to an expanded role for design in improving our systems, services and technologies,” Heiss says.
“Design in Victoria is a sovereign capability, with our world class designers, we find innovators may come to Victoria for manufacturing or pharmaceutical development, yet they will stay for design.”
The Victorian Premier’s Design Awards looks to showcase the practice and application of design in the federation state. Heiss will oversee the program for a tenure of three years.
“Design plays a critical role as an integrator of knowledge, bringing together lived experience of patients and workforce with systems level intelligence to shift the needle and deliver more equitable, kind and sustainable healthcare,” Heiss continues.
Heiss is currently Co-Leading Monash University’s Future Healthcare research initiative. The project leverages deep sector expertise and research, and will look at the ecosystem of health care including devices, spaces, architectures and systems to deliver transformational impact for Australian healthcare.
“Not only is Associate Professor Leah Heiss’ research improving the lives of people interacting with healthcare systems and technologies, she is also a wonderful ambassador for the role of Design in addressing complex challenges,” says Shane Murray, Dean of Monash Art, Design and Architecture.
“Her appointment as Chair of the Premier’s Design Awards is incredibly well deserved recognition of her many contributions to the field of Design."
For more information regarding the awards program, click here.
