Louise St. Pierre

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Bio

Dr. Louise St. Pierre is co-author of the internationally recognized sustainable design curriculum, Okala Ecological Design. She established Canada's first DESIS (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability) Lab, researching how design can influence low-impact behaviours and lifestyles. Louise is now on the DESIS International Coordination Committee. She brings animist views to DESIS: all beings are social and should be included in design. Recent works including co-editing Design and Nature: A partnership (2019), Nature Relations: Design places, design practices, design senses (2023) and co-authoring Activating Design for Biodiversity (2021). Her PhD dissertation at Simon Fraser University was awarded the Dean of Graduate studies Convocation Medal. She continues to research how designers can prioritize all beings of the more-than-human world.

Websites:

• Design With All Beings

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Research Interests

Prior to joining ECU, Louise was Chair of the University of Washington Industrial Design Program. She has received awards and funding for Industrial Design, Exhibit Design and Ecological Design work from the Environmental Protection Agency, IDSA and The American Center for Design, among others. In 2014, she co-chaired International Design Principles and Practices Conference. She continues to write and lecture internationally on sustainable and ecological design, with a focus on understanding systems, deep ecology and ecological interdependence. Her research interests include animism, Buddhism, contemplative practices and deep ecological design

Research Project Involvement at ECU:

• DESIS Lab