Marianne McAra

Marianne McAra is a Research and Teaching Fellow and Subject Lead for Transformation Design at The Glasgow School of Art's School of Innovation and Technology. Her work focuses on youth engagement, creative education, and participatory design methodologies. She holds a PhD in Design from GSA and has led numerous projects exploring community collaboration, heritage contexts, and futures-oriented design.

Education:

• PhD in Design, The Glasgow School of Art (2017)

Research Interests: Marianne's research integrates action research and ethical frameworks to address challenges in participatory design, youth empowerment, and cultural heritage. She has pioneered methods like artifact-based documentation and participatory video in marginalized communities. Her work often bridges academia and practice through collaborative projects with museums, social enterprises, and local governments.

Key Contributions: Over 15 peer-reviewed articles and 36 publications across design pedagogy and community engagement. Notable projects include LEAPFROG (community tools development), Glasgow's Future Stories (participatory democracy frameworks), and Serumpun (craft preservation in Borneo).

Advising & Grants: Supervises MRes and PhD students in design innovation. Lead researcher on projects funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, with focus on social innovation and co-creation.

Labs/Teams: Core member of the Innovation School's Transformation Design unit, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on urban futures and cultural heritage initiatives.