David Overend

Dr David Overend is a Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Studies and Programme Director for the MA(hons) in Interdisciplinary Futures at the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), University of Edinburgh. His research bridges interdisciplinary education, contemporary art, and performance. He has directed award-winning theatre productions for the National Theatre of Great Britain and other international institutions. Overend’s work emphasizes practice-as-research, blending performance art with urban exploration and pedagogical innovation.

His recent projects include the Toolkit for Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching (TILT), funded by the Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme, and the Entanglements event series within the Present Futures Festival. He co-authored Performance in the Field: Interdisciplinary Practice-as-Research (2023) and Making Routes: Journeys in Performance 2010-2020 (2021). His research explores themes like postdigital learning, relational performance, and urban spatial practices.

Overend actively engages in public-facing initiatives such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where he participated in the 'Stop Being Disciplined!' cabaret. His work often interrogates the intersections of education, environment, and mobility through collaborative, interdisciplinary frameworks.