Susan Stirling

Susan Stirling is an Adjunct Associate Professor in Design Research at the UIC School of Design (since 2014) and Adjunct Faculty at the Institute of Design (ID) in Chicago since 2017. She currently co-teaches Facilitation Methods and serves as Project Director at the UIC Innovation Center Connect (since 2018). She also mentors teams at Design for America (DfA) and previously taught at Columbia College Chicago (2013–2015).

Her expertise spans design research methodologies, user-centered strategies, and collaborative problem-solving. Notable projects include developing a digital media center (Digital Atelier) in a Chicago Public School (2014–15) and creating a toolkit for inclusive school design processes. She holds an MDM from ID and a BS in Art from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In industry, Susan has consulted since 2009 for firms like Steelcase, Wrigley, and Omron, specializing in data synthesis and design strategy. Her work bridges academic research, corporate innovation, and community-driven design initiatives.