Kimmi Ko

Dr. Kimmi Ko is an accomplished educator, researcher, and designer with extensive expertise in human-centered design, innovation strategy, and design for social and systemic impact. Her academic and professional pursuits are grounded in advancing the role of design in health, wellbeing and quality of life, sustainable development, social impact, and design pedagogy.

Dr. Ko holds a Bachelor of Industrial Design, a Master of Design, and a Master of Philosophy from the University of New South Wales. She further expanded her expertise in Product-Service System Design through postgraduate study at Politecnico di Milano as part of her master’s degree and earned her PhD from The University of Queensland, where her research focused on applying design innovation to the development of life-saving medical technologies—specifically, digital interventions in Ventricular Assist Devices.

Her scholarly contributions have been published in high-impact journals and received international recognition. She was awarded the Y Nose International Fellowship, becoming the first designer to be honoured by the 65th American Society of Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO). She also received a Program Award at ASAIO’s annual conference in San Francisco and a Dissemination Award from the University of Sydney. Her doctoral work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) in Advanced Cardio-respiratory Therapies Improving Organ Support (ACTIONS).

Dr. Ko brings over two decades of professional experience across diverse sectors, including government, telecommunications, IT, finance, and automotive. Her work spans physical, digital, and service design, with a consistent focus on improving user experience and delivering measurable outcomes. She was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Architecture, The University of Queensland, she contributes to several interdisciplinary research initiatives, including the Intensive Care Unit of the Future, the Medical Research Future Fund Artificial Heart Frontier Program, the Australian Defence Force Learning Laboratory, and the SCC Chinchilla Illoura Aged Care Facility Project.

Previously, as Lead Service Experience Design Researcher at the NSW Department of Education, Dr. Ko led end-to-end design and research processes across complex, cross-functional projects. Her expertise in Agile (SCRUM) and Lean methodologies, coupled with a rigorous evidence-based approach, enabled her to drive innovation in public service design and deliver value-driven, user-centred outcomes.

Dr. Ko is also deeply committed to education and academic mentorship. She is passionate about fostering positive experiences for both students and supervisors, and she brings demonstrated experience and enthusiasm for teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her teaching philosophy is student-centred, with a strong emphasis on creating inclusive, engaging, and supportive learning environments. She is particularly focused on promoting positive learning experiences and enhancing employability outcomes. Her strength lies in her ability to inspire and support students from diverse educational, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, guided by a well-defined and reflective teaching practice.