Transition Design doctoral students and alumni
An English/Spanish podcast produced by Transition Design doctoral students
Erica Dorn's doctoral dissertation: Relational Design within US Suburbs
Madeline Sides doctoral dissertation: Relate, Repair, Restore: Ecological Transitions by Design
Megan Urban doctoral dissertation: A Field Guide to the Forest: Reimagining Human-Nature Relationships
Matthew Wizinsky doctoral dissertation: Design & Postcapitalist Desire
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Doctoral research in Transition Design is conducted in a wide variety of areas related to systems change and societal transitions toward better futures.
Doctoral research in Transition Design at Carnegie Mellon University, along with related programs at universities worldwide, contributes to a growing international body of scholarship on designing for transitions and systems-level change. Scholars in this field engage with systemic problems—deeply interconnected societal issues such as climate change, social injustice, economic instability, and biodiversity loss—recognizing that these cannot be solved through conventional approaches or short-term interventions. Instead, Transition Design research develops and refines new methodologies for understanding and influencing long-term, systemic change.
Diverse Research Areas
Doctoral researchers investigate a wide range of topics that reflect the complexity of transition-oriented work. Some focus on the role of design in enabling community-led transitions, while others examine the evolution of socio-technical systems, the dynamics of large-scale policy change, or the integration of Indigenous and place-based knowledge into transition processes. Research also explores the ethical and epistemological dimensions of designing for transition, addressing how power, history, and worldviews shape our ability to envision and enact sustainable futures.
Collaboration and Impact
Collaboration is central to this research. Doctoral candidates frequently work with municipalities, research institutions, and grassroots organizations to develop and test transition strategies in real-world contexts. These engagements serve as laboratories for refining Transition Design tools and approaches, ensuring their applicability across different cultures, sectors, and scales.
As Transition Design scholarship evolves, it informs global conversations about systems change, contributing both theoretical advancements and practical frameworks that help communities, organizations, and policymakers navigate the urgent need for deep, long-term transitions. Explore the links on the right to read articles and dissertations from researchers and alumni.
COMING SOON: TDI will soon launch a Dissertation Library showcasing doctoral research from around the world on sustainability transitions and systems change. To submit a dissertation for consideration, please send the link to Gideon Kossoff at gkossoff@andrew.cmu.edu.