Dr Folasayo Olalere

Professional biography

Folasayo's research interests include design for experience/well-being, culture and social change. Within these research interests, he has applied various design approaches/tools/technologies such as co-design/co-creation, social innovation, gamification, additive manufacturing, Internet of Things, etc. He has over 50 research publications, including journal articles, book/book chapters, and conference papers. He recently co-edited a book that provides insight into the role of the camera during crises in Africa. His recent research project, which is registered under the OU Open Societal Challenge, employs gamification as a tool to raise awareness about gender-based violence (GBV). The initial phase of the project (preliminary research and game development) was funded by the South Africa National Research Foundation under the Competitive Grant for Y-Rated Researcher.

 Through Folasayo's active research engagements, he has secured several competitive research grants, supervised two PhDs and four MPhils to successful completion, and currently supervising three PhD students. He has examined ten MPhil dissertations and one PhD thesis abroad. He is open to PhD supervision and welcomes applications within his research interests or other related areas.

Folasayo has taught a wide range of design modules such as Design theory (2nd year); History of graphic design (2nd & 3rd year); Aesthetic appreciation (3rd year); Design issues (2nd year); visual presentation techniques (2nd year); basic product design (1st year); and product design and techniques (2nd & 3rd year) - which I also developed.

Besides teaching, he executed two scholarship projects that looked into the internationalisation and decolonisation of design curricula. One of the project activities is a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) with two partner universities in the USA and Mexico. He also published a book chapter on decolonising design curriculum, where he interrogated various scholarly and theoretical views and proposed a framework for implementing a decolonised approach in design education.

Folasayo is currently working with the design group to develop a new design qualification (Q63), and he is actively engaged with the second-level production team to develop two modules (T240 and T290). He is a member of the module presentation team for T217 (Design Essentials), and serves as the shadow chair.