Jacqueline Gothe

Dr. Jacqueline Gothe is an Associate Professor in Visual Communication Design at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Faculty of Design and Society. She has served as Director of the Visual Communication School of Design at UTS from 2015-2018 and continues her academic work as Associate Professor since 2018. Her research focuses on visual communication design, information design, and practices of critical visualisation, with a strong emphasis on transdisciplinary approaches in environmental projects and Indigenous knowledge systems.

Dr. Gothe holds a PhD in Visual Communication Design from the University of Wollongong (2010-2016), a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney (1982-1988), and a Diploma in Graphic Design from the National Art School Sydney (1970-1974). Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to design practice and research spanning several decades.

Her research approach foregrounds research through design as a knowledge creating paradigm, with particular focus on the application of communication and design principles in land management. Dr. Gothe's work acknowledges that visual dialogue with land is a project of recognition and revisioning - recognizing Aboriginal lived experiences, culture, and knowledge while revising landscapes through collective action. She has worked for over a decade in partnership with Firesticks Alliance, an Indigenous-led network supporting cultural burning practices, with her design contribution recognized by the International Institute of Information Design Awards.

Dr. Gothe's scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on decolonizing design practices, Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural burning, and transdisciplinary collaboration. Her recent publications (2021-2025) show increasing emphasis on First Nations leadership in land management, co-design methodologies, and the designer's role on unceded lands.

• International Institute for Information Design 2023 - Social Affairs
• International Institute of Information Design Awards 2023 Social Affairs
• International Institute of Information Design Awards 2014 Social Affairs
• International Institute of Information Design Awards 2014 Sustainability
• Editor's Choice International Institute for Information Design Awards 2011

Dr. Gothe actively supervises Masters Research and PhD students, with her teaching including courses like 'VC Design Studio: Visual Communication and Emergent Practices' and 'Emergent Practices'. Her funded research projects demonstrate sustained engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems, environmental communication, and transdisciplinary design approaches. She has served as a Program Director at UTS (2016-2019) and maintains active professional membership with the Australian Graphic Design Association and International Institute for Information Design.