This interview was recorded on the sidelines of the 2025 Design Research Society Special Interest GroupLearn by Design conference, held at the University of Aveiro, as part of the activities of the UNIDCOMresearch centre.To know more visit unrelease.unidcom-iade.pt In this interview Emília Duarte talks to Lesley Ann Noel, a Trinidadian design educator and the Dean of Design at OCAD University. Lesley is also co-chair of the Pluriversal Design Special Interest Group of the Design Research Society and a member of the convening committee of the Education SpecialInterest Group. She is the author of “Design Social Change” and a co-editor of “The Black Experience in Design." She has developed tools for critical reflection, such as The Designer’s Critical Alphabet and the Positionality Wheel.In this episode, Lesley-Ann Noel shares her global journey and perspective on design as a tool for social equity. She discusses her research in public health, education, social innovation, and epistemic justice. Lesley reflects on the political challenges of addressing uncomfortable topics in design education. She also highlights emerging opportunities for interdisciplinary and pedagogical research.

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