Headshot of Rodrigo

Rodrigo dos Santos

PhD Student
Information School

I am a PhD student at the UBC iSchool working on information and interaction design for deep adaptation and sustainability. I hold a Master of Design from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Canada, where I explored how creative practices can support individuals in developing resilience by means of perceiving, expressing and contemplating their everyday lives. My MDes thesis suggests that the more individuals engage in a creative activity, the more likely they are to connect with, reflect upon, and evolve the things they make. Throughout my career, I have designed interactions and visual interfaces for mobile, web, and interactive TV applications. I also hold a Bachelor of Design degree from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil, and enjoy both the sunny and rainy days.

Research Interests

My current research integrates participatory design and research through design practices, and questions how everyday stories can support people and their multitude of perspectives to negotiate and design adaptive, value-oriented sustainable futures. I am also particularly drawn to the evocative aspects of practices such as gardening and meditative drawing, and their special ability to mediate both human and other-than-human interactions.