Staff

Fraser Bruce

Course Director (Product Design)

Tel: 01382 388101
Email: f.s.bruce@dundee.ac.uk
Room 517, Level 5, Crawford Building, Room 303, Crawford Building,
DJCAD 13 Perth Road DD1 4HT

Biography

Fraser started his career in the early 90’s as an application engineer with a small laser manufacturing company in Dundee where he was involved in laser processing research and development. In 1997 he left there to take up a mechanical engineer position with pioneering keyhole surgeon Sir Alfred Cuscheri at Ninewells Hospital. Fraser became an integral part of the research team that developed novel instruments and manipulators, as well as new imaging and optical techniques for laparoscopic surgery. In 1999 he then went on to work as a product development engineer for four years on the ERDF funded Dundee by Design (DBD) Initiative where he played a pivotal role in the setting up of a New Product Development Excellence Programme aimed at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. In 2003, Fraser made the transition from industry to academia where he now teaches at both undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, delivering lectures, seminars and workshops on strategy, innovation, prototyping, design and ecological thinking. Fraser also supervises PhD research students and would be happy to speak with students interested in pursuing research degrees in design.

Fraser’s research focusses on how organizations can use design thinking and ecological thinking as strategic tools in order to gain competitive advantage. His research has been recently published at a number of international conferences, including, for example, the 15th International Product Development Management Conference (Hamburg, 2008); the 10th Engineering and Product Design Education Conference (Barcelona, 2008); the 8th International European Academy of Design Conference (Aberdeen, 2009); the 11th Engineering and Product Design Education Conference (Norway, 2010); and the 9th International European Academy of Design Conference (Porto, 2011).

Websites

www.mastersdundee.wordpress.com

www2idl.dundee.ac.uk/desethno

REF Outputs

Press, M., Bruce, F-S., White, H. and Chow, R. (2011). Rip&Mix: developing and evaluating a new design method in which the designer becomes a DJ. EAD 2011: 9th International Conference of the European Academy of Design, May 2011, Porto, Portugal.

Wood, F., Bruce, F-S. and Baxter, S-H. (2010) An analysis of children’s outdoor activities and their relationship to play and learning for sustainability. The International Conference of Designing for Children, Bombay, India, 3-5 February 2010.

Bruce, F-S. and Baxter, S-H. (2008) Making Connections: the importance of human relationships in innovative practice. In H. Koller, C. Herstatt & T, Teichert. (Eds.), 15th EIASM International Product Development Management Conference, 30 June - 1 July 2008, Hamburg, Germany Vol. 2008. (ISSN 1998-7374) pp. 1 (18)-20. Brussels: EIASM. See: http://hdl.handle.net/10588/1375

Baxter, S-H. and Bruce, F-S. (2008) Steps to an ecology of product innovation. In Clarke, A., Evatt, M., Hogarth, P., Lloveras, J. and Pons, L. (Eds) New Perspectives in Design Education. Barcelona: Artyplan Global Printers Ltd, Vol 1, 353-358. See: http://hdl.handle.net/10588/2388

Recent research projects

Sustainable Futures: Design & Outdoor Learning.

A research collaboration between DJCAD, University of Dundee (Bruce, F-S. and Baxter, S-H.) and Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (Dave Spence). The Interface Project investigated the feasibility of developing new organizational frameworks that act in accordance with sustainable futures. Conducted under the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) Innovation Voucher Scheme.

Rip&Mix: A Design Method Emerging from Case Transfer.

A cross-institutional research collaboration between DJCAD, University of Dundee (White, H., Bruce, F. and Press, M.) and four taught postgraduate students and t-labs, Deutsche Telekom, Berlin (Chow, R.). The study investigated Case Transfer as an approach for developing new information and communication products and services for elderly people.

Prototype: Craft in the Future Tense

Co-convened by DJCAD University of Dundee (Valentine, L., Bruce, F. and Kingsley, S.) & the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Adamson, G.), the international research symposium, Prototype - Craft in the Future Tense, explored the radical and multiple ways creative practioners and research scholars from across the globe are experimenting with prototypes and methods of prototyping. Keynote speakers included, internallionally acclaimed thought leader on innovation, Michael Shrage; NASA space arcitect and consultant, Contsance Adams; and pioneer of participatory design techniques, Elizabeth Sanders.

Making Connections: The Practice of Innovation

A collaboration between DJCAD, University of Dundee (Bruce, F, Inns, T. and Townson, D.) and Innovata Biomed Limted (Townsend, C.). An industry-funded research project that examined, through the technique of Social Network Analysis (SNA), the informal relationships found within and across the extended boundaries of a leading global provider of pulmonary and respiratory devices for dry powder inhalation therapy.

UVC Penetrable Pipe (containing complicated helix mixers)

A collaboration between DJCAD, University of Dundee (Bruce, F.) and Iatros Limited (Cameron, I.). An industry-funded research project that developed and evaluated the design of new mixing equipment for the destruction of viruses in plasma sourced products required for infusion treatment of haemophilia. 

Pulse: The Stuff of Life

A collaboration between DJCAD, University of Dundee (Wilson, S. and Bruce, F.); University of Central England (Astflack, J); and the Medical Research Council Cambridge (De Bono, B). Funded by the Scottish Arts Council, University of Central England and University of Dundee. The aim of this project was to develop a practice-based method for reconnecting the epistemologies of craft and science (i.e. ‘embodied’ craft and ‘mentalist’ science) in a new collaborative epistemology.