Taslima Begum,
Transtechnology Research,
Room B312 Portland Square,
University of Plymouth,
Drake Circus,
Plymouth,
PL4 8AA.

Taslima.begum@plymouth.ac.uk

Taslima999@hotmail.com

TASLIMA BEGUM is a PhD candidate, Interaction designer and researcher at the Trans-Technology Research Centre in the School of Computing, Communications & Electronics at the University of Plymouth, Devon. Her previous professional experience includes published work as a 3D animation artist and website designer with a major developer, alongside various freelance projects. In particular, she has worked collaboratively alongside teachers, animators, web designers and games developers to produce educational games software for GCSE students in schools across the UK. Whilst studying New Media for her Bachelors Degree in Design Futures at the University of Wales, Newport she developed a creative, multi-disciplinary practice encompassing expertise in 3D modelling, Animation, Virtual audio-augmented environments, Website Design, and Interface design. Her primary research interest has remained in the field of Interaction design.

In 2003 she enrolled on the Masters programme in Design, New Media and Technology and is currently pursuing her primary research focus – an investigation into the cultural construction of design solutions in high-end technological products Рas a topic of doctoral research. Her work proceeds from the terminus-a-quo that design is not intrinsic to a product but a result of forces and factors acting on it externally. By reinterpreting technological formations in light of research emerging from post-colonial studies, she is attempting to understand how product design relies particularly upon western [hegemonic] aesthetic and deep cultural archetypes. The purpose of this enquiry is to highlight the potentials that exist to explore a synergy between east and west in industrial design with a prospective vision for global design. In addition to this Taslima has been teaching as a Visiting Tutor at the University of Wales since 2004, as well as having been module leader on the BA (Hons) Interactive Media programme.