معرفی
Gail Ramster is a design researcher at the Royal College of Art (RCA), working within the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design (HHCD) in the School of Design. She has been with HHCD since 2009 and co-leads the Public Toilets Research Unit with Professor Jo-Anne Bichard. As an RCA PhD supervisor and lecturer in inclusive and participatory design, she contributes significantly to academic programs while leading impactful research projects that address social challenges through community engagement.
Gail graduated from RCA in 2007 with an MA in Industrial Design Engineering and previously worked internationally as a mechanical engineer. Her professional background spans wayfinding, product design, and industrial design, providing a strong foundation for her current research in inclusive design.
Her research focuses on addressing social challenges through participatory and co-design methods with citizens and communities, particularly in the areas of public space accessibility, healthcare design, and urban environments. She has explored community engagement at multiple scales, from workplace design to neighborhood planning, with a special emphasis on public toilet accessibility. Her work consistently emphasizes how design processes can capture and respond to people's attitudes and aspirations across various contexts, from childhood obesity to autonomous vehicles.
Ramster's publication record shows a consistent focus on inclusive design research with practical applications. Her work spans public infrastructure (particularly toilet accessibility), community engagement methodologies, healthcare design, and future urban environments. A notable pattern is her ability to translate research into tangible outcomes like The Great British Public Toilet Map and practical design guidelines that influence policy and practice.
- Good Toilet Commendation, Work of the Public Toilets Research Unit 2020-21 Japanese Toilet Association 2021
- BSI Standards Makers Award 'Guidance on Safe Working during the COVID-19 pandemic' (advisory panel member), 2020
- Finalist (Outstanding Impact in Society), The Great British Public Toilet Map, ESRC Impact Awards 2016
- Finalist (Digital Health), The Great British Public Toilet Map, AbilityNet Tech for Good Awards 2016
- Runner-up, The Great British Public Toilet Map, TSO Open.Up Awards 2010
- Winner, Sat-Lav, Westminster Innovate 2007
As a PhD supervisor at RCA, Ramster mentors the next generation of design researchers while leading significant funded projects including Engaged: A toilet on every high street (funded by LEAP, Mayor of London), Air-Control-Reimagined (with Tata Consultancy Services), and the Global Healthcare Index (funded by WSP). Since 2020, she has co-led the Helen Hamlyn Design Awards, recognizing outstanding RCA graduate projects that improve people's lives. Her research has secured funding from diverse sources including the Open Data Institute, Nominet Trust, ESRC, AHRC, and various foundations.
Ramster co-directs Public Convenience, a social enterprise spun out from RCA that manages The Great British Public Toilet Map. Through the Public Toilets Research Unit, she has conducted five major public toilet research projects, creating practical tools and knowledge exchanges like the Toilets Innovation and New Knowledge Exchange (TINKLE). Her work bridges academic research with real-world application, demonstrating how design can address pressing social challenges through meaningful community engagement.
