Personal profile
Biography
Paul is a Lecturer (Teaching & Research) with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at the University of Dundee. He has a PhD in Design Ethnography and a BSc (Hons) in Interactive Media Design, both from University of Dundee. He is a V&A Dundee Design Champion and a member of Studio Esk.
Prior to his current position, Paul spent almost four years working at Young Scot, the national youth information and citizenship charity for 11-26 year olds in Scotland. His work as a co-design manager involved empowering young people, particularly those whose voices who are seldom heard, to affect meaningful change to the policies, systems and services they use the most.
Whilst undertaking a post-doc as a research fellow at the dot.rural Digital Economy research hub at University of Aberdeen, Paul explored design-based approaches for using digital technology to support people living in rural communities. Some of this research included collaborating with industry transport operator First Group to understand how social media data can be integrated with real-time passenger information.
During his PhD, Paul was co-located with industry-sponsor NCR within the consumer experience design team at their R&D centre in Dundee. His thesis developed a design research method for gathering consumer-focussed insights on how people use of technologies situated in public spaces.
Teaching
Paul currently leads the Digital Interaction Design level 2 module Designing Social Networks. He has previously taught modules titled Prototyping Digital Futures and Design Research Methods.
Research
Paul has recently built upon his practice of co-design with young people in the third sector by exploring other design research for change methods. He is also continuing his engagement with the youth arts sector by helping to develop models and define pathways for progression in creative industries. Furthermore, he wishes to develop more international culture exchange activity and participatory dialogue through the use of digital platforms.
Paul is adept at interdisciplinary working and has previously collaborated with a wide range of different researchers and practitioners including product designers, service designers, data scientists, software developers, anthropologists, journalists, psychologists, geographers, artists, musicians and photographers.
Research interests
co-design, design ethnography, design research methods, user research, creative learning methods, disability and design, human-computer interaction, digital youth work, international culture exchange, mobile technologies for older people, education policy, systems thinking, mobility as a service, social media data, internet of things, public spaces, urban interventions
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, DiCER: A Design Research Method Arising From a Large Organisation, University of Dundee
Award Date: 20 Jun 2014
Bachelor of Science, Interactive Media Design, University of Dundee
2002 → 2006
Award Date: 15 Jun 2006
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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SDG 13 Climate Action
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Developing young people’s emotional resilience through grief education
Gault, P. (Investigator) & Wu, S.-H. (Investigator)
24/03/25 → 25/03/26
Project: Research
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The Thriving Cities Initiative: Enabling Community Action Pathways to Resilience and Wellbeing through Design-led Evaluation
Bruce, F. (Investigator) & Gault, P. (Investigator)
1/06/24 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Exploring digital games-based learning design for enhancing resilience in higher education students: unveiling the potential of RESSIL
White, W. (Lead / Corresponding author), Gault, P., Shimi, J., Herd, K. & Manwaring, G., 1 Apr 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Discover Education. 4, 1, 17 p., 77.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)16 Downloads (Pure) -
TravelBot: Utilising Social Media Dialogue to Provide Journey Disruption Alerts
Gault, P., Cottrill, C. D., Corsar, D., Edwards, P., Nelson, J. D., Markovic, M., Mehdi, M. & Sripada, S., Dec 2019, In: Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives. 3, 100062.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile10 Citations (Scopus)134 Downloads (Pure) -
Culture and Connection: How can Children and Young People shape their Creative Future?
Gault, P. (Lead / Corresponding author), National Youth Arts Advisory Group & The Young Scot Observatory , Jan 2019, Young Scot. 24 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
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DiCER: A distributed consumer experience research method for use in public spaces
Gault, P., Masthoff, J. & Johnson, G., 1 Sept 2015, In: International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. 81, p. 49-71 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)321 Downloads (Pure) -
Studio Ordinary: first 5 years 2020–2025
Pullin, G. (Lead / Corresponding author), Cook, A. (Contributing member), Tams-Gray, F. (Contributing member), Gault, P. (Contributing member), Han, J. (Contributing member), Mladenov, T. (Contributing member), Griffiths, T. (Contributing member) & Ferraro, E. (Contributing member), 8 Jan 2026, Dundee: Studio Ordinary. 20 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
Activities
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ECR Seed Fund: Developing young people’s emotional resilience through grief education
Wu, S.-H. (Member) & Gault, P. (Member)
Mar 2025 → Mar 2026Activity: Other activity types › Funding - grants and income which support research related activities
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Game Designer at Now Play This 2024, Somerset House, London
Love, L. (Member), Gault, P. (Member), Bruce, L. (Member) & Macleod, R. (Member)
6 Apr 2024 → 14 Apr 2024Activity: Other activity types › Public engagement and outreach - festival/exhibition
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‘Tell me a story’: Use of sensory ethnography and co-design process to understand and improve communication between babies and families in a neonatal intensive care unit
Grant, S. (Speaker), Gault, P. (Contributor), Lim, C. (Speaker), Hoy, S. (Speaker), Mountain, R. (Contributor) & Sutherland, S. (Contributor)
26 Jun 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Game Designer at Museum Late: Game On, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Gault, P. (Member) & Love, L. (Member)
5 Oct 2024Activity: Other activity types › Public engagement and outreach - festival/exhibition
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Resilience Through Play
Gault, P. (Speaker), Shimi, J. (Speaker) & Herd, K. (Speaker)
3 Sept 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
Press/Media
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A skate through cyberspace: on the edge with the Now Play This festival of experimental video games
8/04/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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DJCAD collaborates with Apart of Me charity, to successfully host design sprint
28/09/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Teaching
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Re-vamped Dundee Design Festival 2021 launches in four city sites
23/09/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research