Mary Asiedu is the Stage 2 Graphic Design Lecturer, where she has established the challenging task of integrating a programme of study to include our first year and direct entry students to the discipline of design. Students are encouraged to recognise and develop their design methodology, document their thinking in textual and visual modalities.

Teaching and learning are Mary’s main focus and research interest. Reflecting on her teaching practice, identifying and developing possibilities for students to learn effectively, share experiences and thrive in a relaxed environment. In Stage 2 the main goal is to teach students how to learn and to build solid foundations in design thinking, to inspire, invigorate and change perceptions of preconceived ideas of creative methodologies. Her approach is to experiment outside conventional methods of teaching and apply a variety of unpredictable abstract approaches to stimulate creativity and transfer knowledge of practical skills and techniques; a strategy that allows students to discover for themselves how to become a ‘deep thinker’ and apply their working practices to wider aspects of problem solving in future careers.

Mary graduated with BA (Hons) from Glasgow School of Art in 1987. She has held various positions including opening her own Graphic Design practice and at present is a director of a technology consultancy company in Edinburgh. Like many graphics designers, Mary draws on her diverse activities to feed into her research from metal work to bookbinding.