Luana Caselli
Luana Caselli is a neuroscientist with a background in experimental psychology and biostatistics. She worked for several years as a researcher, studying the neural correlates of animal and human behaviour, with a focus on cognitive functions such as vision and action. She currently works in medical research dealing with data analysis and visualization. She combines her science and graphic skills to simplify scientific information and communicate it in a simple way. She is co-author of “Doctor G”, a graphic novel to promote informed health choices.
Area of expertise: neuroscience, psychology, data visualization
Stephen Herold
As an IBM Design Principal, Associate Partner and the Experience Design & Mobile Practice Lead for IBM iX Switzerland, Stephen is an expert in accommodating the fluid landscape of technology and human needs. Prior to joining IBM iX, he led cross-functional teams in San Francisco and Europe, creating and managing award-winning user experiences for brands from various industries. An expert in Enterprise Design Thinking as well as Agile methods, he often shares his secrets with global corporations and the local design community. Additionally, he has been a jury member for international design competitions including Cannes Lions.
When not working, he is outside and sometimes enjoys renegade rope swinging in the park with his daughter. When he grows up, he wants to live in the Alps or be a bike messenger – maybe both.
Katharina Herzog
Katharina is an independent systemic designer and facilitator specializing in educational and learning innovation. Her expertise extends to regenerative design and leadership, where she serves as a lecturer at the University of Applied Science and Arts Lucerne and the School of Design in Bern and Biel. With a keen understanding of transformation projects in the education and learning sector, Katharina is a valuable sparring partner, adept at identifying the most effective levers for impactful change.
Her diverse client base includes schools, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large corporations, and museums. Katharina is dedicated to addressing fundamental questions, such as how learning and education can contribute to sustainable and regenerative development and understanding the evolving nature of learning in our complex world.
Katharina holds a B.A. in Interaction Design (Zurich University of the Arts) and an M.A. in Communication Design (University of Applied Science Constance) with a focus on Design Research. In addition she has pursued further education in systemic coaching and regenerative design.
Nicolò Luppino
Nicolò Luppino is a human-centered designer and has a varied experience in the field of project management for complex systems and environments. He works furthermore in design education and research. Through his work he supports the decision-making processes toward suitable, sustainable and innovative solutions that take organizational, economic, social and human aspects into account. Among the various projects, he collaborated with several international and Swiss companies, organizations and institutions such as Roche, Novartis, Vitra, die Post, Lungenliga Schweiz, and many important laboratories and hospitals.
www.nicololuppino.ch
Area of expertise: human-centered design, design tools and methods, project management for complex systems
Sylvie Merlo
Sylvie Merlo is a sparring partner, communications professional and networker for circular solutions. She offers strategic and forward-thinking consulting services for a distinctive communication on the challenging path of the circular economy. Taking a collaborative and trustful approach, she accompanies her clients in an iterative process. Working co-creatively with the partners in her network, she creates bespoke communication strategies and credible content. Sylvie started in the communications industry over 30 years ago. After an exciting stint in the marketing department of a well-known Swiss designer furniture manufacturer, she smoothly transitioned to her first period of self-employment. After graduating with an Executive Master’s degree in Communications Management from the University of Lugano, a new door opened: working for Switzerland’s largest furniture retailer, she was able to contribute and expand her knowledge in a managerial role. This period also saw the first strategic communication project in the circular economy. More extensive mandates for start-ups committed to the circular path were the logical consequence and today form the focus as a sparring partner strategic communications and public relations for the clients of MERLOCOM.
Area of expertise: Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Internal Communications with focus on Circular Economy
Arnaldo Perez
Dr. Arnaldo Perez has a master’ degree in educational psychology and a PhD in Medical Sciences. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Alberta, Canada. Dr. Perez teaches several subjects, including qualitative research methods, behavioural change, academic writing, and evidence-based approach. Dr. Perez has extensive experience in qualitative research, but he is also familiar with quantitative, mixed-method, and review research. Dr. Perez has published more than forty papers in peer-reviewed journals related to health and health education. He has coordinated several multi-site, multi-method research projects and his areas of interest include health behaviour, behavioural change, engagement in health service, active learning, curriculum evaluation, and student wellbeing. He regularly supervises postgraduate students in conducting educational and clinical research and has been successful in maintaining grant support for his research program.
Area of expertise: Qualitative research, Educational research, Behavioural change
Marcel Samstag
Marcel Samstag drives strategic digital transformation initiatives around mobility concepts for the future with SBB. He has a vast professional background in digital business, e.g. in product development of mobile internet services, the international expansion of a corporate footprint with a cloud-based consumer services platform across several markets or the establishment of a product experience design organisation for a multi-national company. Marcel Samstag studied marketing and business administration at HWV (today Zurich University of Applied Sciences) and gained an International MBA in General Management in Rotterdam and Toronto. Among fuelling the knowledge transfer of digital change between the business and academic worlds his passion lies in enabling organisations to cope with today’s challenges in innovation, transformation and collaboration.
Area of expertise: Implications of digital transformation on organisations, digital business landscape (platforms & ecosystems), new paradigms and frameworks along digital transformation
Karel van der Waarde
Dr Karel van der Waarde studied graphic design in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. He started a design – research consultancy in Belgium in 1995 specializing in the testing of pharmaceutical information. He publishes and lectures about visual information. He is a life-fellow of the Communications Research Institute (Melbourne), a board member of International Institute for Information Design (Vienna) and editorial board member of several journals. www.graphicdesign-research.com
Area of expertise: information design, medical information, user testing
Aysun Aytaç
Dr. Aysun Aytaç is a design researcher and design educator with an extensive background in industrial design and international experience. She combines theories and approaches from material culture, visual culture, visual ethnography, everyday life, culture & design, everyday life creativity, objects as cultural products, design thinking and design education to explore interactions between people and artefacts. Her particular study focus is on how objects give expression to -or are becoming part of- our culture as they enter into our daily lives. She argues that the expected and unexpected relations, interpretations and interventions, i.e., the experiences between users and the products/services, provide essential insights needed by designers to guide them design better products and services.
