Helen Dickson

Helen is a lecturer at the School of Design. She specialises in design and brings to the Animation program many years as a professional designer.

She has run her own business and held leadership positions in industry and institutions. She has undertaken leadership roles as Studio Manager and Senior Designer and designer positions at at various design studios. Her creative practice spans design, illustration, arts, and digital media.

She has extensive and varied leadership and academic experience in the animation, media and the design industries. She has over 25 years of academic experience, managing, writing, developing and delivering theoretical and practical courses within the disciplines of design, visual arts and animation, from foundation through honours level, in both Australia and overseas. She has been joint - Program Manager of the Bachelor of Design (Animation and Interactive Media) since 2014. The success of her academic leadership in this area is demonstrated by the local and international success of the program. Her academic identity and pedagogy has always been driven by her interest in human-centred design, the establishment of inclusive learning environments, and supporting student growth and success by structuring meaningful and innovative student pathways. Through her various roles as Program Manager, Year Level Coordinator, Course Coordinator, Studio Lecturer and designer, she have been responsible for crafting, facilitating, and teaching within these pathways, enabling local and international students to become active and impactful creative practitioners.

Her industry experience and knowledge range across a broad range of disciplines from within the program including motion graphics, visual effects and animation. Works produced under her supervision has gone on to screen in major film festivals, win major industry awards. 

Examples of her leadership in international partnerships include :

• securing successful 3-year multi-year grant funding and implementation of the Cambodia Teaching Animation Placement, 

• officially represented the degree and the School(s) in China (Yunnan Normal University), Malaysia (Taylors University) and (LimKokWing University), • negotiating and managing credit agreements, program structures and mapping, international arrangements, curriculum development, moderation, student placement, monitoring standards, staff and student mentoring, staff travel arrangements and related teaching into programs.