Associate Professor Rohan Nicol is Associate Head at the School of Creative Arts and Media at the University of Tasmania.  His areas of interest include Art, Craft and Design with particular interest in the role of creative practice and research as an instrument of social and cultural change.

Since 2009, Dr Nicol has secured $294,000 of research and project funding from the Australia Council, Australian Universities and private enterprise and organisations to conduct research and undertake consultancies. His awards include the prestigious Bombay Sapphire Design Award. He regularly exhibits at peak venues in Australia and internationally. His work is held in regional, state, and national collections, including the Powerhouse Museum and the National Gallery of Australia.

Biography

Associate Professor Rohan Nicol joined the School of Creative Arts and Media at the University of Tasmania in 2021. He is Associate Head of School and convenor of the honours program. He is an academic leader with more than 15 years’ experience in the tertiary sector. His prior roles included work as an executive member of the leadership group at the Australian National University (ANU), School of Art and Design (SO&AD) where he served as Deputy Head of School, Head of discipline and led the schools Engagement and Impact portfolio.

Rohan is focussed on providing outstanding educational experiences through purposeful and engaging teaching and supervision. His work has been recognised through receipt of the ANU Vice Chancellor’s Award for studio teaching (2013) and the Deans Award to Research supervision (2020).

Rohan is an experienced artist with an international profile achieved through a hybrid practice spanning contemporary art, craft, design, and curatorship. His research primarily focusses on the links between domestic living models (the home) and the impact of globalisation and change (consumption, materials use, distribution models). He has published in leading global journals on design ethics and led global teams in collaborative research projects that focus on changing harmful domestic consumption habits. These projects present new living, manufacturing and production models that are scalable and offer the prospects for the repair of our planet. Other projects focus on various forms of arts-led innovation (regional and local manufacturing), through collaborative projects that have realised and documented positive impacts on culture, community, and economies.

Career summary

Qualifications

• PhD, Charles Sturt University (CSU), AUS, 2009. Thesis: Crafting Designs on Wealth: A viable model of studio-based craft and design practice
• Ba Honours (1^st Class Hons), Australian National University (ANU), 2003.
• Grad Dip Education, Australian Catholic University (ACU), 2001
• Ba Arts (Visual), Australian National University, 1996.

Administrative expertise

Executive Leadership/ Associate Head of school

Teaching

Teaching expertise

Rohan Nicol has over 20 years teaching experience. In a variety of educational settings. He has taught in Secondary Schools in TAFE and Tertiary sector in areas including Art, Design and Technology. Experience in Tertiary sector includes:

Head of discipline

Unit and course design

Honours convenor

Facilitator higher degree research training

Group of eight Australian universities (GO8) curriculum benchmarking

Honours Course

FSX401 Creative Arts and Media Research Methods

FSX403 Thesis A

FSX404 Thesis B

FSX402 Advanced Practice A

FSX403 Advanced Practice B

Research Appointments

• Craft ACT board, 2016-2020
• National Contemporary Jewellery award and collection consultant and judge, 2016-2022
• Design Canberra Program Committee 2016-17
• Chair - Value Chains, The value and impact of Craft 2020.