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Tom Lee

Lecturer, Faculty of Design and Architecture Building, University of Technology Sydney

I am a design theorist and researcher whose work focuses on the experiential dimensions of technology, materials and spaces. I am particularly concerned with the distinctive feelings and forms of networked, consumer oriented culture that characterise life in wealthy democracies after WWII. This includes the massive proliferation and diversification of leisure oriented experiences associated with music, food and exercise.

My research practice and output aims to translate diverse and sometimes abstract perspectives from philosophy and theory into insights that readily mesh with research questions more specifically relevant to academic design practitioners and design research units.

I have extensive teaching experience within the university and industry helping designers refine and communicate the key concepts in their work, including communication projects with leading design thinking consultancies.

I am currently working on a research projects with Berto Pandolfo on innovative object design in small batch production and the broader cultural implications digital technologies have for the way people interact with objects.

Design and repair must work together to undo our legacy of waste

Jul 12, 2019 09:48 am UTC| Business Technology Insights & Views

Design has been one of the big words of the twentieth century. To say that an object has been designed implies a level of specialness. Designer items are invested with a particular kind of expertise that is likely to make...

What Nestlé's attempt to trademark the shape of a KitKat teaches us about design

Sep 10, 2018 13:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Business

For many people there is something irresistible about chocolate. But in the hungry rush to make it part of our bodies there is a missed opportunity to meditate on the different gestural experiences chocolate affords. We...

Economy

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Inflation is slowly falling, while student debt is climbing: 6 graphs that explain today’s CPI

Australias inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and its now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. The annual rate peaked at 7.8% in the December quarter of 2022 and is now just 3.6%, in...

Why is the London Stock Exchange losing out to the US

London Stock Exchange (LSE), which can trace its heritage to the coffee houses of the 17th century, is failing. The volume of shares traded is sharply declining, and some UK companies are swiftly moving to the US...

Politics

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?

One of my favourite statues is the one of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg. Larger than life, its oversized bronze shoes shimmer in the evening light, polished by the hands of many...

Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight

In the early hours of April 15 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked the military airstrip in the town of Merowe and deployed troops across strategic locations in Sudans capital,...

Military conscription is returning to Europe, but is it really a more equal way of mobilising? What history tells us

The idea that conscription, defined as the compulsory enlistment of citizens for military service, can increase equality and instil a sense of solidarity that transcends traditional societal divides has echoed throughout...

Joe Biden Proposes Record 44.6% Capital Gains Tax in Latest Budget Plan That May Favor Cryptocurrencies

President Joe Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax to an unprecedented 44.6% in a bold fiscal move, targeting the wealthiest Americans. This hike is part of his 2025 budget proposal to reduce income...

Science

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

Technology

Sam Altman Hints at Link Between OpenAI and Mysterious 'GPT2-Chatbot'

An unexpected new player, the GPT2-Chatbot, has captured the attention of the AI community by possibly outperforming OpenAIs renowned GPT-4 model, according to recent reports. Unresolved Origins of...

Blockstream CEO Adam Back Highlights Unique Aspects of Hong Kong's Bitcoin, Ethereum ETFs

Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, recently detailed the unique characteristics of Hong Kongs newly launched Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs on X, emphasizing their in-kind redemption model, which sets them apart from their U.S....

Massive 624 Billion SHIB, PEPE Purchase by Whales Could Signal More Rallies

Recent on-chain data reveals that whales have amassed 624 billion SHIB and PEPE coins, injecting a wave of optimism and triggering speculation about sustained upward trends in the prices of these meme coins. Whales...

Apple Escalates AI Talent War, Poaches 36 Google Experts for Zurich Initiative

Stepping up its AI game, Apples Zurich lab has successfully attracted 36 experts from Google, marking a significant expansion in its artificial intelligence (AI) operations. Apples Aggressive AI Talent...

Binance's CZ Partners with OpenAI's Altman on AI Investment Venture

Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, is engaging in strategic talks with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to explore potential investments in artificial intelligence. This collaboration comes as Zhao faces significant legal...