Paul J Fearis

Paul J Fearis is an Associate Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, specializing in human-centric product design and medical device innovation. He joined Duke after 28 years in the medical device consulting industry, including founding his own firm, Clinvue.

• Education: M.A. from the Royal College of Art (UK, 1990), Industrial Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art, and Mechanical Design at Cranfield Institute of Technology (UK).

His research focuses on front-end innovation and product specification processes, integrating ethnographic observational research to identify unmet clinical needs. He emphasizes design for manufacture and has contributed to pandemic response technologies, including 3D-printed PPE and negative pressure isolation systems.

Recent publications highlight his work in medical device commercialization (2016) and pandemic-driven innovations (2020–2022). His expertise bridges academic rigor with industry experience, particularly in translating clinical needs into healthcare solutions.

• Courses Taught: Design Health series, Master of Engineering internships, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Healthcare.