Maria dos Santos Lonsdale serves as Professor of Information and Communication Design at the University of Leeds School of Design, where she also directs PACE (Professional Academy for Creative Enterprise) and previously served as Head of School from 2020 until her current sabbatical through September 2026. With academic credentials including a PhD from the University of Reading (2006) and extensive teaching experience since 1997 across Portugal and the UK, she brings significant expertise to her roles. Her research demonstrates remarkable interdisciplinary breadth, spanning healthcare communication, cybersecurity awareness, educational technology, and sustainable fashion. Lonsdale employs rigorous user-centered methodologies including focus groups, co-design sessions, usability testing, and eye-tracking studies to validate design solutions that improve user performance and wellbeing. Her work consistently bridges theoretical research with practical applications across multiple sectors. Lonsdale holds influential editorial positions as Editor-in-Chief for Visible Language journal (starting January 2025) and former Editor-in-Chief (2020-2024) for the Information Design Journal. She actively contributes to the academic community as an Academic Advisor for Luto (a global health communications company) and as a reviewer for major publishers including Sage and Routledge. Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) Member of the International Society of Typographic Designers (MISTD) Regular contributor to design research societies Her research output reveals consistent focus on making information accessible and usable across diverse contexts, from virtual learning environments to public health communications. Lonsdale's work demonstrates how thoughtful application of design principles can solve complex real-world problems while enhancing user experience and information comprehension.








