Deb Polson

Professor Deb Polson is a leading academic in Digital Design at RMIT University's School of Design and Director of the Centre of Digital Ecosystems (CODE). She specializes in precision interventions in complex systems through design strategies, addressing efficiency and sustainability challenges across healthcare, urban development, and entertainment. Her work spans collaborations with entities like Marvel Studios, Plastics NZ, and healthcare organizations to create innovative digital solutions.

Her research focuses on data visualization, design practice methodologies, user experience design, and serious games. Notable projects include immersive tele-guidance systems for vision-impaired users, assistive mixed reality interfaces, and a framework for global collaborative design education. She has held leadership roles, including launching the School of Design at the University of Auckland (2020) and serving as RMIT's Associate Dean (2021).

Polson's career includes over 25 years of designing impactful systems—from hospital-based digital distractions for children to energy modeling tools for urban planners. Her current work at CODE integrates interdisciplinary teams to create both precise and experimental digital ecosystems. She actively supervises PhD and master's students on topics ranging from diabetes care support systems to digital fashion innovation.

Her research outputs emphasize cross-disciplinary applications of technology, with publications in journals like IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics and conference proceedings on mixed reality and game design. She remains open to supervising students and collaborating on industry projects aligned with her expertise in values-led design practices and digital health solutions.