Professor Sarah Kettley is Chair of Material and Design Innovation at Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh . She leads multidisciplinary teams across social care and health services, championing participatory and co-design methodologies rooted in humanistic psychology. Educated originally in contemporary jewellery and holding a doctorate in computer science, she integrates craft knowledge with wearable technology research, most notably through the ‘ An Internet of Soft Things ’ project that introduces electronic-textile imaginaries to third-sector mental-health communities. Research Interests Craft as Relational Encounter: exploring proximity, depth and co-becoming in design Participatory and co-design methods for marginalised groups (autistic people, visually-impaired researchers, Scottish care workers) Electronic textiles, wearable health technologies and emotional durability Social, cultural and economic value creation in care innovation Recent Publication Trends Between 2023 and 2025 her work focuses on refining and evaluating the Ripple Framework , a generative co-design approach that produces social, cultural and economic value in care settings. Papers cluster around inclusive methodologies, mental-health technology, and craft-led innovation, signalling an integrated vision where material practice, digital technology and care ethics co-evolve. Scientific and Professional Recognition Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts Founder member, Arcintex international research network Co-chair, RAFT research group, Edinburgh College of Art Research Teams & Networks She co-chairs the RAFT research group at Edinburgh College of Art and is a founding member of the Arcintex network, enabling transnational collaborations in practice-based textile, interaction and health-care research.
