UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture

There’s nothing ‘natural’ about disaster - inequality, displacement and injustice make floods, fires and extreme weather deadlier and more destructive. 🌏

“If we want to protect people from being harmed, we have to prevent them from being vulnerable and that might mean fixing other social problems that lead to their vulnerability,” says Professor Jeremy Moss, from ADA’s School of Humanities & Languages.

Listen to Prof. Moss discuss climate justice and natural disasters here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/philosopherszone/-natural-disasters-and-climate-justice/106643232

Is AI coming for the jobs of translators and interpreters?

It’s a common question as AI reshapes the profession with machine translation tools and large language models now embedded across the industry, particularly in written translation.

ADA Professors Ludmila Stern and Sandra Hale say the complexity and responsibility embedded in interpreting work means human skills will continue to be important.

While AI tools can improve efficiency and help manage large volumes of text, these systems cannot replace professional judgment.

“At the end of the day, it’s about enabling people to understand each other,” Prof. Stern says. “That’s something that still relies on human judgement, empathy and responsibility.”

Prof. Stern is the founder of UNSW’s Master of Interpreting and Translation, celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, and has played a key role in shaping translation and interpreting education in Australia.

Read more: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/05/lost-in-translation-why-human-expertise-still-matters-in-the-age-of-a

How do we tackle the growing e‑waste problem from off‑grid solar?

Off-grid solar energy provides safe and affordable electricity to hard-to-reach communities in developing countries. But when systems break down, limited repair options mean many products are quickly discarded, creating a hidden waste challenge.

Fixim Sola is part of the solution.

This award‑winning project trains people – across technical institutes, vocational centres and schools – in Vanuatu to repair and maintain off‑grid solar systems, reducing e‑waste while improving reliable energy access in remote communities. It’s also creating new pathways for local employment and entrepreneurship.

The initiative, led by Scientia Associate Professor Paul Munro, Dr Shanil Samarakoon and Dr Joyce Wu has just been recognised with a Macquarie Community Resilience Prize of $US200,000 to continue work in expanding solar repair capacity in Vanuatu, and the broader Pacific.

"This recognition means a great deal—not just for our team at UNSW, but for the technicians, trainers, and students in Vanuatu who have made this project what it is. We often talk about renewable energy transitions as if installing technology is the hard part, but keeping it working is the real challenge. This prize gives us the opportunity to show what locally-led repair ecosystems look like at scale — starting in Vanuatu and expanding across the Pacific," says A/Prof. Munro.

Find out more about the project ➡️ https://offgridsolarrepair.com/

Long before jet travel and the internet, department stores like David Jones were Australia’s window to the world, introducing new ideas in design, taste and modern living.

Now, a new ARC Linkage Project led by UNSW School of Art & Design Associate Professor Dr Mark Ian Jones will bring this history into focus examining how department stores shaped Australia’s design landscape.

Working with Senior Lecturer Dr Kasia Jeżowska and partners at the Powerhouse Museum and Art Gallery of New South Wales, the project - Transforming Australian Design Culture Through the Department Store 1954–75 - will explore the role these retailers played as cultural connectors in the postwar decades. Through ambitious international exhibitions, they exposed Australian audiences to global design and influenced how modernity and style were perceived.

Drawing on museum collections and the David Jones archives, the research will look into how these experiences shaped local design, then and now.

“The project represents a significant achievement for Australian design history research within the ARC Linkage scheme, highlighting the growing recognition of museum, cultural heritage, and design history research as areas of national significance and public impact,” says Art & Design Head of School Professor Alison Gwilt.

Read about the David Jones archives: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/07/powerhouse-museum-acquires-david-jones-archive-brimming-forgotten-stories

Image: Design by Gordon Andrews, 1950, David Jones Archive.

Join us at Term 2 O-Week and get to know our vibrant ADA community! 🤩

All new ADA students are invited to Kensington campus for our Faculty Welcome, plus a Picnic & Campus Tour.

📅 Tuesday, 26 May, 11am - 1:30pm

📍 Leighton Hall, John Niland Scientia Building

Meet the ADA leadership team, ask any uni questions you want, participate in fun activities (with plenty of prizes to be won) and connect with your new classmates!

Register now so we can cater for you: https://adastudent.swoogo.com/t2o-week26/begin?ref=Website

New NDIS legislation introduced to parliament week reveals more about what the future holds for those accessing the scheme.

UNSW experts Dr Georgia van Toorn, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Politics, and Professor Helen Dickinson, Public Service Research, break down the changes in definitions and process that can be seen in the bill.

Read more about what’s changing and why it matters: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/05/the-government-plans-to-tighten-ndis-eligibility-heres-whats-likely-to-change

🌍 AI is reshaping how we work, make decisions, and lead.

But the leaders who will thrive aren’t the ones who rely on data alone - they’re the ones who know how to bring people back into the equation.

That’s the focus of Learn to Lead: Human Connection in a Digital World, a free two‑week online course for UNSW alumni.

This year, ADA Dean Professor Claire Annesley dives into why human judgement becomes even more critical as digital data explodes. Her reminder is timely:

“Digital data is easy and fast to access. Human insight takes time, is complicated, creates friction. But combining diverse data and a deeply human‑centred approach leads to better outcomes.”

If you want to strengthen the leadership skills that AI can’t replace, this course is for you.

📅 Starts 1 June
🔗 Enrol here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/alumni/professional-hub/build-your-skills/learn-to-lead