Bahareh Barati

My research revolves around creative processes with emerging materials including smart and biological materials and exploring designers’ unique contribution to multidisciplinary materials development. I have contributed to Material Driven Design (MDD) approach, i.e., design processes that depart from a material (e.g., bio-based alternatives, waste stream or by-products) and mentored several MDD projects. I developed digital tools to assist experience prototyping novel material composites for multidisciplinary communication and exploration of dynamic and performative qualities and would like to further explore what digital capabilities (e.g., digital twining, AI) can do for our understanding and exploration of everyday practices with, through, and around (novel) living materials, such as bacteria, fungi and algae (e.g., home fermentation, composting). 

I believe that we [humans] are at a critical point in history, where we should rethink the responsibilities that come with our technological power.