Hi, I’m Leighann

Photograph of Leighann Smiling at the Camera Wearing a Grey Jacket

‍ ‍Designer • Educator • Researcher

Areas of Practice

Research:

  • PhD Candidate (final stages)

  • Interdisciplinary Research Assistant

  • Published Author

Education:

  • Registered Teacher

  • Education Consultant with experience in Schools

  • Initial Teacher Education

  • Teacher Professional Development

  • Public Programs

Design:

  • Qualified Designer

  • International Design and Construction experience

Illustration by Vaughan Huck

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), QUT (in progress: final seminar completed late 2025)
    Thesis title: Design and Technologies in Initial Teacher Education: Enhancing the Capabilities and Self-efficacy of Pre-service Teachers with Design Thinking

  • Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning, Secondary Visual Art & Design and Technologies, USQ (2016)

  • Bachelor of Built Environment Interior Design, QUT (2002)

  • Queensland College of Teachers (QCT)

  • Design and Technologies Teachers Association of Queensland (DATTA)

  • Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA)

  • Australian Technologies Teachers Association (ATTEN)

Registrations & Affiliations

Research - Select Projects & Collaborations

Interdisciplinary Research Assistant, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) (2021 - current):

  • Pathways to a Trade (with Manufacturing Skills Queensland)

  • Y-Schools Thrive (with Y-Schools Queensland)

  • Professional Experience in Diverse Educational Contexts (QUT School of Education)

  • Health Excellence Accelerator Lab (HEAL) (Internship with QUT Design Lab and Queensland Health)

  • Australian Cancer Atlas 2.0 (with the Queensland Cancer Council)

  • GenQ Insights Hub (with Queensland Health)

Project Manager, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) (2021-2024):

  • Digital Learning for Change (DL4C) Research Group

Research - Publications & Presentations

Published:

  • Ness Wilson, L. (2024). NICU Mum to PICU Researcher: A Reflection on Place, People, and the Power of Shared Experience. In: How Designers Are Transforming Healthcare. Springer.

  • Ness Wilson, L. (2024). Co-author, Four Chapters in How Designers Are Transforming Healthcare. Springer.

Forthcoming:

  • Cambridge Handbook of Interdisciplinary Design Education (forthcoming 2026-7), Invited Co-Author.

  • Taking Design Seriously in Education. Cambridge Elements (manuscript submitted late 2025), Co-Author.

Invited Keynote Speaker:

  • Design and Technologies Teachers Association of Queensland (DATTA) Conference, Brisbane (2025)

Research Presentations and Contributions:

  • Australian Teacher Educators Association (ATEA), 2024

  • Design and Technologies Teacher Association (DATTA), 2017 and 2025

  • Additional invited contributions: Digital Learning for Change, Adolescent Success, Queensland Art Teachers Association, National Education Summit, Critical Connections and Pedagogy Exchange.

Photograph of school students working at a creative workshop table

Education - Professional Appointments

Sessional Academic:

  • ACU School of Education and the Arts: Technologies, Science, STEM, Digital Pedagogies (2018-2026)

  • QUT School of Education: Technologies (2005)

  • QUT School of Architecture and Built Environment: Create and Represent (2025), Design, and Interior Technologies (2010)

Technician (Education) - Design and Manufacture:

  • Design and Fabrication Research Facility (DeFab), QUT (2026)

Project Manager:

  • Research and Design Lead, Future Anything, Capabilities Framework (2024)

Technologies Teacher in Residence:

  • St Williams Primary School, Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) Design and Digital technologies and capability building of classroom teachers, Prep to Year 6 (2017 – 2020)

STEAM Education Officer + Public Programs Officer:

  • QUT The Cube (2015-2019)

Education - Professional Engagements

Program Concept Development:

  • Design and Manufacturing Learning Resources, Manufacturing Skills Queensland (current)

Program Design and Facilitation:

  • Dare for Change, Adderton Brisbane (2021)

  • Design for Impact Summit, Matthew Flinders Anglican College (2020, 2021)

  • Share the Spark Technologies PD, Australian Catholic University (ACU) (2019, 2020)

  • Technologies PD, BCE (2019)

  • Fusing Art, Design and Technology PD, Museum of Brisbane (2019)

  • STEAM Education PD Programs, QUT The Cube (2015-2019)

  • Technologies PD, Edmund Rice Flexible Learning Centre, Townsville (2018)

  • Magnificent Makers, Public Program Design, State Library of Queensland (2017)

Presentations and Contributions:

  • BCE STEM Summit (2019)

  • National Education Summit (on behalf of ACU) (2019)

  • Design Teachers Studio, QUT School of Design (2018)

  • Flying Arts Webinars: Art and Technology, Art and Science (2018)

Design - Professional Appointments

Senior Interior Designer

  • TPS Carillion, Edinburgh (2007-2008), RMJM, Dubai (2008-2009)

Interior Designer:

  • Cottee Parker Architects (2021-2004), Geyer (2004-2007)

Get in touch: leighann@createed.com.au