Daniel Knox

Lecturer in Product Design

Picture of staff member

With a passion for product design and an eye for functional products that stand the test of time, I have enjoyed an exciting career within various industries of design and engineering. From creating performance fabrics to crafting premium electronic consumer goods and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), I have acquired invaluable experience and skills that have put me in an advantageous position in the industry.

I hope during the Ecological Citizens research project I am able to help set a new standard to prepare communities in helping nurture the environment for generations to come. As a lecturer, I have been able to share my diverse knowledge and experience of different techniques, design methodologies, and ways of working gained from my varied industry experience to the benefit of my students.

In 2014, I had the privilege of working at Dyson, where I honed my design skills and gained hands-on experience in consumer research, prototyping, testing, and design for manufacture. This opportunity led me to spend some time in Singapore, where I helped prepare a product for manufacture and assembly.

Additionally, my time at Unilever's Global Design Technology Hub allowed me to further develop my expertise in mentoring junior designers, designing for mass production, and developing plans and strategies to meet Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan.

Outside of work, I enjoy running, cycling, and embarking on adventures with loved ones.

Publications

Year Publication Type
2023 DEFINING ECOLOGICAL CITIZENSHIP: CASE-STUDIES, PROJECTS, & PERSPECTIVES ANALYSED THROUGH A DESIGN-LED LENS, POSITIONING “PREFERABLE FUTURE(S)”, Design for Adaptation Cumulus Conference Proceedings Detroit 2022. 
Dr. Robert Phillips1, Dr. Sarah West2, Alec Shepley3, Sharon Baurley1, Tom Simmons1, Dr. Neil Pickles3, Daniel Knox3
Conference Publication

Honours and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
2022 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
2022 DriveWorksXpress Associate DriveWorks

Employment

Employer Position From/To
University of Chester Visiting Lecturer in BA Product Design 2019 - 2020
Nottingham Trent University HPL in BA/BSC Product Design 2020 - 2021
Unilever – Global Design Department Senior Design Engineer 2017 - 2021
Dyson – Research Design and Development Department Advanced & Senior Design Engineer 2014 - 2017

Education

Institution Qualification Subject From/To
Wrexham University Post Graduate Certificate Learning and Teaching in Higher Education 2021 - 2022
Nottingham Trent University Bachelor of Arts Product Design 2003 - 2006

Outreach Activities

Title Description Organisation
Engineering Education Scheme Wales (EESW Project 2022-23) WGU Lecturer mentors students to STEM Awards success. A Lecturer in Product Design and Engineering at Wrexham Glyndwr University (WGU) helped college students win a national award for designing, engineering, and producing a community-led solution to a community problem, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and the environment. Daniel Knox, Programme Leader and Lecturer in Product Design at WGU, supported a team of sixth-form students from Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion Dwyfor in winning the Best Use of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for Sustainability and the Environment Award, as part of the Engineering Education Scheme Wales (EESW). Daniel mentored the six students, who were set a scenario-based project to design, engineer and produce a community-led solution to several challenges faced by people in El Alto, South America, which will improve their day-to-day living. To do this, they considered the area and what resources of material are locally available, as well as labour and natural reserves. Engineering Education Scheme Wales

Other Professional Activities

Title Description
A distributed approach to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and academic integrity
HEFCW-funded Welsh Integrity and Assessment Network Symposium Event
2023
Defining ecological citizenship; Case-studies, projects & perspectives; analysed through a design-led lens, positioning ‘preferable future (s)
Defining ecological citizenship; Case-studies, projects & perspectives; analysed through a design-led lens, positioning ‘preferable future (s)’Defining ecological citizenship; Case-studies, projects & perspectives; analysed through a design-led lens, positioning ‘preferable future (s)’.
2022