ICS Materials. Interactive, connected, and smart materials

She is associate professor in the Department of Design at Politecnico di Milano. She is a pioneer in the field of materials experience, starting almost twenty years ago and has established internationally recognized expertise on the topic both in research and education. Her mission is raising sensibility and making professional designers and future designers conscious of the infinite potential of materials and processes. The investigations of her research group focus on pioneering and challenging topics including: DIY-materials for social innovation and sustainability; bio and circular materials; urban materials and materials from waste and food waste; materials for interactions and IoT (ICS Materials); speculative materials; tinkering with materials; materials driven design method; CMF design; emerging materials experiences; and material education in the field of design. Since 2015, Valentina jointly leads, with Elvin Karana, the international research group Materials Experience Lab. She participates as principal investigator in the European Project Made, co-funded by the Creative Europe Program of The European Union, which aims to boost talents towards circular economies across Europe. Valentina is the author of over 50 publications. She has organized international workshops and events and has contributed as an invited speaker and reviewer for relevant journals and international conferences.

PhD in Design, she is untenured researcher at the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano. Visiting researcher at University of New South Wales of Sydney and at Media Lab of Massachusetts Institute of Technology she is Coordinator of the European Project “DATEMATS” and holds national and international patents. Her main research activity is focused on interaction design practices and on how to exploit the potential of disruptive technologies (Wearables, smart materials and AI) to design experiential systems both in private and public sector; this by using a user-centred approach.