Christian McLening

Profile

I am a designer and academic based at Aston University since 2009 with a research interest in sustainable design & creativity.

My main area of industrial experience has been within the automotive and architectural product design industries. I have worked on concept vehicles, electric vehicles and the design & manufacture of automotive interiors for a range of large car companies.
In recent years I have been involved with the Product Design group within ARUP associate London, involved in design development of a number of architectural product and environmentally sensitive projects, such as Pocket Habitat a green roofing system.

My lecturing experience has been varied and I have worked with both engineers and creative designers. I have taught design at a French university as well as several UK based universities at undergraduate and postgraduate level. I have been involved with course development, QAA, ARE and external validation at another universities.

I have continued to design and study throughout my time lecturing which has always had direct relevance to my teaching. My current PhD work is investigating the challenges of sustainable design from the designer’s viewpoint. This industrially relevant study has informed my teaching and feed into course delivery and development.

I continue to enjoy learning and working within both academia and industry, viewing research and learning as the natural link between both worlds.

www.christianmclening.com

Qualifications & Education

• BA Industrial Design: Transportation. Coventry University
• PGCE in Higher Education. Greenwich University
• MA Design Studies (Distinction) Central Saint Martin’s College of Art & Design. University of the Arts London.
• Currently working on PhD. Developing strategic design approaches for creative designers. In conjunction with ARUP associates Product Design group, London.  Brunel University

Employment

• 2009-: Design lecturer Aston University BSc Product Design, Automotive and MSc Design courses.
• 2007-2009: Senior Lecturer. Product Design & Three Dimensional Design. The Arts University College at Bournemouth.
• 2000-2007: Senior Lecturer. Product Design and Mechanical Engineering. Buckinghamshire New University.
• 1998-2000: Lecturer. Product Design. West Thames College. London.
• 1997-1998: Lecturer. Design & Technology. Winchester University.
• 1996-1998: Lecturer. Product Design. Somerset College of Arts & Technology.
• 1996-1997: Lecturer. Product Design , Transport Design, Design & Management. I.S.D. Institute Superiur de Design. University of Valenciennes. France.

Teaching activity

Teaching across all BSc and MSc Design courses.

Research interests

Research interests include:

• New Product Development
• Concept generation
• Sustainable design approaches
• Automotive and transport design

Please contact me if you have a New Product Development proposals or ideas.

PhD Supervision   

Please contact me regarding PhD projects or KTP supervision.

Membership of Professional Bodies

MIED: Member of the Institution of engineering Designers.
FHEA: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Selected publications  

To be presented- refereed paper (2010) The effect of personality on the design team: lessons from Industry from Industry for design education. 12th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education. Trondheim, Norway.

Presented refereed paper: (2008) An investigation into the sustainable approaches of the ARUP associates Product Design group.13th International Conference-Sustainable Innovation 08 -Future Products, Technologies and Industries. (Selected in top 40 referred papers) Malmo. Sweden.

Presented refereed paper: (2005) Developing a new SPDS: Sustainable Product Design Specification Tool. 10th International Conference-Towards Sustainable Product Design-Global ’state of the art’ in sustainable development & design. Farnham. Surrey. United Kingdom.