Emma Robertson

Associate Professor Emma Robertson is a faculty member at the School of Art & Design, part of the Arts, Design & Architecture faculty at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, MA from Manchester Metropolitan University, and BA (Honours) from Glasgow School of Art.

• Current roles: Associate Editor of Memory, Mind & Media (Cambridge University Press), Artist in Residence for interdisciplinary research
• Former roles: Program Director of the Bachelor of Design degree (5 years), UNSW Academic Board Deputy President

Her research spans two distinct areas:

• Teaching research: Focus on creative thinking processes, mapping and modeling cognition, and their applications to global problem-solving
• Artistic practice: Explores word-object-memory relationships through mixed-media drawings, installations, and bookworks. Notable projects include climate crisis representations via endangered flora studies (Royal Botanic Gardens residency 2009) and neurosciences-themed public art at Prince of Wales Hospital (2023).

Scientific awards and recognitions:

• Postgraduate Research Supervisor Award (2018)
• UNSW Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award (2014)
• Founding Scientia Education Fellow (2018-2023)
• International Biennial of Drawing Laureate (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
• Royal Society of Arts Fellowship (London)

Advising and industry collaboration: Supervises 4 PhD candidates while maintaining executive education partnerships with organizations like Arup (2010-2013), Thiess, and Natural History Museum London. Her transmedia storytelling MOOC has attracted over 110,000 learners globally since 2016.