We are excited to welcome three new Postgraduate Research representatives for Winchester School of Art, nominated after discussion with department leadership teams, the Students’ Union, and the Faculty Graduate School.
They will join our continuing PhD representative, Yimeng Li.
All four representatives will represent PGRs at school level, but the three new representatives have also agreed to act as first point of contact between specific departments and PGRs:
Elissa Wang (Fashion & Textiles liaison)
I am Elissa. I am a third-year PGR in Fine Art. I am also a practitioner, a knitter, and a mother. My research is about looking at the transcultural/multicultural identity of indigenous Chinese Mongolians in the context of globalisation through making and knitting. I started to investigate this when I was doing my master’s at Royal College of Art and this research is a continuity of my MA, which I started to involve studies of digital anthropology and material culture. I applied for this role to have a better insight into the academic culture and working of the school, gain experience working collaboratively with faculty and administrative staff, and help to contribute and hopefully improve the overall experience of research students in our community.
Michael Kurniawan (Art & Media Technology liaison)
I am a 3rd year PGR in design. Prior to my PhD, since 2008 I have been a faculty member in the School of Creative Industries at a private university in Indonesia, where I’ve taught in the Visual Communication Design and Fashion and Business undergraduate programme. I studied MA in Art and Design in Education in the UK with an interest in the relationship between museums and design higher education. As a continuation, my current research is on expanding museum partnerships and co-creation across sectors and levels. I applied for this position to understand more about the academic culture and workings of the school as a reputable international higher education institution and how I can continue to support and even improve it.
Jingnan “Bianca” Bian (Design liaison)
I am Jingnan Bian (Bianca), a PhD student in Design. My current research explores the dementia-friendly furniture design in inclusive design field. Before attending in front of you, I completed my bachelor’s degrees in China and Italy, and Master’s degree in WSA, which has given me a diverse academic and cultural perspective. I decided to put myself forward for this role because I believe in fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment where every student feels supported; and I am passionate about representing the voices of my peers and facilitating meaningful dialogue between students and staff to enhance our academic experience.