Kate Sweetapple

Professor Kate Sweetapple is a design academic and Head of the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Her research focuses on the role of design in shaping systems, services, and social practices within contemporary care spaces, including health, disability, and aged care environments. She utilises visualisation to reveal patterns, relationships, and invisible states, with a particular emphasis on data-driven interventions in these fields.

• PhD, University of Western Sydney (2004)
• BDesign (Hons) in Visual Communication, UTS (1990-1993)

Her research explores the intersection of design, digital humanities, and data aesthetics, including projects like the Adrift tool for ocean data visualisation and a visualisation project with Northcott to enhance decision-making in disability care. She advocates for expanded visual languages that incorporate qualitative data representations to generate knowledge.

Kate’s scholarly output includes 15 recent publications (2007–2025) that span visualising care systems, experimental cartography, digital humanities, and design-led data analysis. These works often bridge disciplines such as healthcare, environmental science, and literary studies.

• Available for Masters/PhD student supervision

She is affiliated with UTS research groups such as the Designing for Social and Service Transitions research group, the Visualisation Institute, and the UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC). Her creative works, including the Map of Sydney: Avian Surnames series, are held in major Australian collections like the National Library of Australia.