How can we design a world that does not leave anyone behind?

I study how engineering students and educators understand inclusion, and how we can better foster and measure an inclusive mindset in design. This is because biased design and innovation can harm certain populations, while inclusive design aims to create products, services, and the built environment that benefit everyone. My PhD project is part of the Technology Leaving No One Behind initiative at DTU Skylab, the innovation hub at DTU. The goal of this initiative is to make inclusion and accessibility a natural part of how engineers design new solutions.

The "Leave No One Behind" principle is one of its three universal values behind all United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It underscores the importance of creating inclusive societies where every individual, regardless of their background or abilities, has equal opportunities to thrive and contribute. My PhD research particularly addressed social sustainability. It uses quality education (SDG 4) as a pathway to promote equality (SDG 5 and 10), well-being (SDG 3), and support more inclusive, sustainable societies (SDG 8, 9, 11, 16, and 17).

My path to becoming a PhD student at DTU has been shaped by life circumstances, education, and a passion for people. I grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, and went to an all-girls boarding school during high school. Afterwards, I pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Thammasat University, where I became deeply involved in extracurricular activities to develop leadership and multicultural skills. After graduating, I started my career in the people development field. I've worked as a learning facilitator who designs and facilitates leadership and communication workshops for diverse participants, including youth, corporate leaders, people with disabilities, and refugees. Seeing the transformative power of education firsthand made me even more passionate about using learning as a tool for change.

I moved to Denmark in 2021 to pursue a master’s degree in Cognition and Communication at the University of Copenhagen. When I was about to graduate, I found this PhD opportunity on LinkedIn. It matched both my background and life mission. Therefore, I applied and fortunately got it. Now that I have been working on my research for over a year, I looking forward to opportunities to share it with others. I love designing and facilitating learning experiences, and from my experience, students learn best when they are actively engaged. So, my session will include not just a talk, but also hands-on activities and reflection.