RMIT grads sweep Design Institute of Australia awards

RMIT grads sweep Design Institute of Australia awards

Emerging designers have taken out the top awards for industrial, interior, furniture and textile design in the Design Institute of Australia’s 2020 Graduate of the Year Awards.

Created to support and celebrate exceptional early career designers from around Australia, the annual Graduate of the Year Awards were announced via a YouTube event last night.

Industrial designer Nicole Gemlitski was named Design Graduate of the Year, receiving the prestigious Madeline Lester Award, as well as Industrial/Product Design Graduate of the Year for Victoria and Tasmania for her project AlitePro.

Also among the winners were RMIT’s Melissa Donnan, Associate Degree of Interior Decoration and Design, Louis McGowan, Associate Degree in Design (Furniture), and Caroline Pattle, Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design), who were all named Graduate of the Year for Victoria and Tasmania in their respective categories.

Gemlitski, who graduated from RMIT’s Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) in 2019, was recognised for her innovative design solution to improve chemotherapy treatment environments.

She said an interest in user-centred design led her to the healthcare industry, where smart design can improve patient experiences and overall wellbeing.

“The physical environment where chemotherapy treatments are conducted can be stressful and noisy which can impact the emotional and mental wellbeing of patients,” she said.

“I started thinking about how we can change the sensorial atmosphere of these environments to reduce stress, anxiety and depression symptoms.”

AlitePro converts clinical sounds into lights to unobtrusively notify staff throughout the chemotherapy process.

Developed in collaboration with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the RMIT-Cisco Health Transformation Lab, AlitePro is a device that replaces clinical sounds with colour therapy, reducing noise in treatment rooms.

Professor Vishaal Kishore, Director of the Health Transformation Lab, which facilitated and anchors the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Design Partnership, said AlitePro was a great example of what can be achieved through student industry partnerships.

“Nicole’s innovative design solution highlights the outstanding impact our students can make when paired with real industry problems, in real settings and in real time,” he said.

AlitePro consists of two devices, one is affixed to the drip and monitors the administering of medication, sending unobtrusive notifications via changes of colour to a second device worn by a nurse.

Replacing clinical sounds with colour therapy, AlitePro aims to improve patient experiences and assist healthcare professionals in providing a faster and calmer service.

“I was extremely fortunate to have completed my research and testing at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where I was able to be a part of a patient's experience undergoing chemotherapy,” said Gemlitski.

“I’ve always loved helping people and now I have the opportunity to really make an impact to people's experiences within the healthcare industry in the future,” she said.

Last year Gemlitski received the Joyce Coffey Women in Design Award for Outstanding Female Designer.

Associate Dean of Industrial Design, Professor Ian de Vere, said RMIT design graduates have been highly influential in the Australian design landscape for over 70 years.

“Nicole is an amazing young designer who is already demonstrating her ability to make a significant contribution to societal wellbeing,” he said.

“We are delighted to have been part of her journey and wish her great success in the future.”

 

Story: Grace Taylor

02 October 2020

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02 October 2020

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