Dr Sasha Alexander

• Biography
• Areas of Research/Teaching Expertise
• Grants/Current Projects
• Contact 

Biography

Sasha Alexander is a senior lecturer, Associate Head of School, and Head of Program Industrial Design in the School of Engineering with the College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney and has recently received his PhD in commerce bridging sustainability, collaborative interdisciplinary approaches, and high value adding in key industries as identified by the CSIRO. He also holds industry and academic credentials in the industrial design field in Australia and Europe and has published across fields in forestry, management, and education.
Sasha is a Fellow, Past NSW President and National Director of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) with representations made to the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) in Europe, Asia and North America on behalf the DIA and UWS.

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Current Research

Current research in value chains and value creation applies business, design, and sustainability principles seeking better understanding of collaboration and competition in key Australian and international resources and industry-based capability areas including human-centred design in the medical devices and instrumentation, high value adding to sustainable materials, and issues surrounding life cycle assessment of civionics infrastructure including embodied energy in production, ongoing maintenance and resource requirements, and the end of life cycle strategies to limit overall environmental and financial impact.
Sasha Alexander completed his studies in the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) in 1987 and has worked in Australia and Europe. He was conferred as a member of the Design Institute of Australia in 1987 and Fellow in 1997. His doctorate was completed with the UWS College of Business and awarded in April 2011.

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Experience: Industry and academia

1996-2011  Academic: University of Western Sydney

1993-1999  Academic: University of Technology Sydney

1993-2011 Academic collaborator and supervisor: rural fire fighting vehicles, adventure leisure equipment, dental care systems, pool safety systems, rural fencing systems, solar hydrogen vehicle applications, design for primary education learning environments, design for all: vision and hearing impairment, designing for sustainable indigenous futures (urban and rural).
Teaching: From 1st year to 4th year including ethics, managing interdisciplinary teams, indigenous perspectives, design management, industrial design studio, sustainable design, and academic group coordinator for Industrial Design Honours program.

1989-1990 Consultant industrial designer, Copenhagen, Denmark (Professor Holscher)

1987-2011 Consultant industrial designer: industrial electrical, medical systems, street and park furniture, commercial office furniture systems, commercial lighting, water absorption testing equipment for soil research, wheat/grain quality measurement devices, automotive accessories, titration system for medical instrument hygiene, geographic satellite signalling station photographic retrieval device with human factors assessment, design for all: information technology and the aged, and holographic recording system for orthodontic practise and archaeological research showcasing laser technologies and optical storage.

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Recent Publications

Alexander, S., 2010. Supercharging value chains by understanding collective knowledge and leveraging collaboration for competitive advantage: An Australian forest product study.24th Annual Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference: Managing for Unknowable Futures. 8 - 10 December 2010 http://www.anzamconference.org/
 
Alexander, S., 2010. Sustainable Futures: Design driven value and stakeholder relationship innovation. ConnectED July 2010, Sydney, Australia

Alexander, S., 2009. Competition and collaboration in the Australian timber furniture industry – a value chain approach toward higher value creation for local and global markets and pathways for sustainable forest resource use. In: Forestry: a climate of change, Thistlethwaite, R., Lamb, D. and Haines, R. (eds). pp.225-233. Proc. IFA Conf., Caloundra, Queensland, Australia, 6 – 10 September 2009. Institute of Foresters Australia (IFA).

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Grants Held

2007 University of Western Sydney Learning and Teaching Action Plan Grant “Designing products to improve indigenous environmental health” ($15,000)

2002  Award Scholarship (toward PhD candidature) awarded by Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation now Forest and Wood Products Australia ($90,000) Aligned support: CRC Wood Innovations & Furnishings Industry Association of Australia www.fwpa.org.au

2001  AUSINDUSTRY Australian Federal Government Graduate Start Program with industry partner NSW / Topic: Industrial electrical engineering and industrial design ($180,000).  www.ausindustry.gov.au

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Service, memberships and expert representation

2011  University of Western Sydney, Civionics Research Centre, Early Career Researcher http://www.uws.edu.au/civionics/civionicscentre

2010   University of Western Sydney, Industry and Innovation Studies Research Group (CInIS), Associate Member http://www.uws.edu.au/cinis

2010   Seoul International Design Workshop 2010: Universal design and information technology. International moderator/expert presentation/supervisor and project facilitator in topic area. Seoul 2010 World Design Capital under auspices of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID). Results published and exhibited September 2010, Seoul, Korea.

2010 Furniture Foresight Centre (CEEFOR/Spain) - Expert panel member (Australia) 2008-2010

2010  Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA). Past NSW President and National Director of the Design Institute of Australia (1995-96), with key representations DIA liaison to International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) in Europe, Asia and North America (1993-2007 General Assembly representative Glasgow, Taipei, Toronto, Sydney, Seoul, Berlin, San Francisco).

2010  Associate member of the Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies (CInIS) and expert contributor to research grant applications in the areas of knowledge management, innovation management, and industrial design management.
 
2003 Australian Sustainable Business Alliance (Founding member 2003-2005).

2002 Rotary International (1994-2002) – District 9680 Chair Student Intern Programs Siberia ‘From Russia with Love Program’/ Rotary Presidential citation recipient youth and international portfolios.

For more information, contact Sasha.

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