Mark Fisher

Mark Fisher is a Course Leader, product designer, researcher, and lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. He teaches on the BA/BSc Product and Furniture Design course at the Sheffield Institute of Arts, focusing on design principles, practices, and major projects. His roles include First Year Tutor, responsible for fostering community and course identity among first-year students through induction events, field trips, and academic activities.

Education: He completed an MA in Industrial Design (2010–2012) at Sheffield Hallam University while working part-time as a Design Researcher at UCHD and Lab4Living and as an Associate Lecturer. Prior to academia, Fisher held industry roles at Isometrix (lighting design consultancy) and Triumph Motorcycles (Design Engineer).

Research Interests: Fisher specializes in socially responsible design, with a focus on healthcare applications. He has developed a patent-pending micro-inhaler design and collaborates on projects like the NIHR-funded User Centred Healthcare Design. Current research explores using Google Cardboard for intergenerational creativity with dementia patients and primary school children, alongside Dr Elizabeth Freeman (Psychology).

Scientific Awards: He received the Honorary Fellowship of the RSA in 2012 for service design work targeting young professionals.

Advising & Grants: Though no advisees are listed, he emphasizes involving students in live projects and collaborations to enhance active learning. His work with Lab4Living and UCHD reflects research engagement. He is preparing a PhD proposal in design.

Labs/Teams: He contributed to Lab4Living and UCHD during his MA and collaborated with HELIX Centre (Royal College of Art/Imperial College London) in his London-based projects.