Kristi Kuusk is an Estonian designer and researcher specialising in the intersection of smart textiles, sustainability, and design innovation. She holds a PhD in design from Eindhoven University of Technology, where her research focused on integrating technology into textiles to create meaningful, sustainable experiences. Kuusk is a faculty member at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), where she leads the Sensorial Design research group. Her work explores how smart textiles can promote environmental responsibility and well-being by combining traditional craft with modern technologies.
Nesli Hazal Oktay is a designer-researcher from Turkey, based in Estonia. She is an Associate Professor of Interaction Design at EKA, where she integrates embodied, participatory, and speculative approaches into both teaching and research. She has designed and led courses, as well as workshops, at undergraduate and graduate levels in Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, and Belgium, fostering collaborations between academia and industry. As a member of the Sensorial Design research group, she explores the intersections of design, technology, and human experience. She leads the project “COD-F”, which investigates ways to bridge emotional distance between families, drawing inspiration from the phenomenology of intimacy.
Dila Demir is a designer-researcher and artist from Turkey, now based in Tallinn, Estonia. She is a researcher at the Estonian Academy of Arts, where she works with the Sensorial Design Research Group, leading the project “Multi-Sensory Design for Somatic Wellbeing.” Her research lies at the intersection of interactive textiles, human-computer interaction, interaction design, and soma design, exploring how creative practices can foster care and address health stigma. Her approach is informed by first-person and participatory methods, drawing on the phenomenology of illness, feminist care ethics, more-than-human theories, interaction aesthetics, and somaesthetics. Aligning with her research focus, Dila teaches at the BA, MA, and PhD levels, offering theoretical, methodological, and practical courses. Based on her research and cultural background, her artistic practice ranges from examining bodily discomforts to exploring Anatolian symbolism, expressed through performance arts, woven textiles, and interactive installations.
Azeem Hamid is a designer and researcher from Lahore, Pakistan, currently based in Tallinn, Estonia. His academic career includes faculty positions at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion & Design and the School of Media & Mass Communication. He has also taught at the Social Innovation Academy (SINA) in Uganda and the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Since 2014, Azeem has facilitated courses and workshops at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels across Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Germany, South Korea, France, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, with a focus on design research methods and participatory practices.
Zaur Babayev is a digital product designer and researcher from Baku, Azerbaijan, currently based in Tallinn, Estonia. His professional career in digital product design has focused on building human-centred experiences and fostering empathy for various users in Software as a Service applications. He is now pursuing a PhD at the Estonian Academy of Arts, focusing on advancing digital empathy, particularly in the realm of teletherapy.