Jac Fennell

Dr Jac Fennell serves as Senior Lecturer in Product Design at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) within the Faculty of Environment and Technology and Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, while holding an Honorary Reader position at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Her academic credentials include a PhD from Goldsmiths, an MA in Interaction Design from the Royal College of Art, and a BA(Hons) degree, complemented by Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) status.

Fennell's research pioneers human-centred design applications for dementia care and wellbeing enhancement, focusing on involuntary reminiscence support through therapeutic products like the HUG wearable comforter. Her work integrates inclusive design, co-design methodologies, and speculative approaches to address neurodivergent needs and emotional wellbeing in vulnerable populations.

She has secured substantial research funding including AHRC Impact Accelerator Awards, UKRI Innovate grants, and Welsh Government ERDF funding for projects spanning Smart HUG development, Milbotix SmartSocks integration, and The Power of a HUG parliamentary engagement initiative.

Fennell maintains extensive collaborations with NHS trusts, Alzheimer's Society, care home organizations, and international partners like Vilans (Dutch government advisory body). She co-founded HUG by LAUGH ltd (www.HUG.world), achieving global commercial distribution of the HUG product which demonstrably improves quality of life for dementia patients, with documented cases of life transformation and extension.