Dr PJ White

Research Interests

Dr P.J. White is a PI, supervisor, and lecturer at designCORE research centre SETU Carlow. He is also an Adjunct member at McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, McMaster University, Canada. Holding a PhD in Product Design, his academic interests include Product and Service Design for Ageing, Co-Design, designing interdisciplinary research, Design Anthropology, and Human Centric Design as a means of understanding human behaviours and cultures. As a Product Designer, he has extensive experience innovating for small to multi-national businesses. As a Design academic, he has worked at Maynooth University, within the Department of Design Innovation and has lectured and conducted research at universities internationally. He is an editor for Iterations Design research review, has consulted for Irish Government policy initiatives in the area of Design and is an External examiner up to Doctoral level. He is currently a member of the Irish Gerontological Society and Institute of Designers in Ireland.  In 2021 Dr White was appointed as an Expert Reviewer and Committee Member at the National Standards Association of Ireland, recently helping to co-design the Irish response to the ISO/DIS 23623 Dementia Inclusive Communities standard.

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

White, P.J., Alders, G., Patocs, A. and Raina, P. (2021) “COVID-19 and interdisciplinary research: What are the needs of researchers on aging?”, Tuning Journal for Higher Education, 9(1), pp. 239-263. doi: 10.18543/tjhe-9(1)-2021pp239-263

White, P.J. and Devitt. F (2021). Creating Personas from Design Ethnography and Grounded Theory. Journal of Usability Studies,(JUS) Vol 16 (3) https://uxpajournal.org/personas-ethnography-grounded-theory/

White, P.J. and Kennedy, C. (2021) ‘Designing a module in entrepreneurship for product design students’, Industry and Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/09504222211013742

Marston, H. R., Shore, L. and White, P. J. (2020) 'How does a (Smart) Age-Friendly Ecosystem Look in a Post-Pandemic Society?', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218276

White, P.J., Deevy, C. Designing an Interdisciplinary Research Culture in Higher Education: A Case Study. Interchange (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-020-09406-0

White PJ, Marston HR, Shore L and Turner R. Learning from COVID-19: Design, Age-friendly Technology, Hacking and Mental Models [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. Emerald Open Res 2020, 2:21 (https://doi.org/10.35241/emeraldopenres.13599.1)

Vrkljan, B., Whalen, A., Kajaks, T., Nadarajah, S., White, P. J., Harrington, L., & Raina, P. (2019). Creating an intergenerational university hub: Engaging older and younger users in the shaping of space and place. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 40(2), 244-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2019.1572010

Shore, L., Kiernan, L., DeEyto, A., Nic A Bhaird, D., Connolly, A., White, P., Fahey, T., & Moane, S. (2018). Older adult insights for age friendly environments, products and service Systems.. Design And Technology Education: An International Journal, 23(2), 40-58.

White, P. J., & Devitt, F. (2011). The Design and Development of Novel Cooking and Heating Products for Irish Older Adults- a Real Health Need. Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, 5(3), 13. https://doi.org/10.18848/1833-1874/CGP/v05i03/38081

Books and Book Chapters

WHITE, P.J. 2013. Designer as Ethnographer: A Study of Domestic Cooking and Heating Product Design for Irish Older Adults. LAMBERT Academic Publishing, Saarbrücken, Germany.

WHITE, P.J. 2018 Designing a Domestic Heating Product for Older People Within the Concept of 'Contained Living Spaces.  Elena Urdaneta, and Brian Worsfold. Eds. Ideas, Products, Services... 'Social Innovation' for Elderly Persons. Lleida: Edicions i Publicacions de la Universitat de Lleida, 2018. 159-169. [ISBN 978-84-9144-106-9]  

Conference Proceedings and Papers

White, P. J., Patocs, A., & Raina, P. Harrington, L.,(2021) Interdisciplinary Gerontological Research by Design, British Society of Gerontology 50th Annual Conference, Lancaster University

White, P. J., Harrington, L., Patocs, A., & Raina, P. (2019). Using Design to Create Interdisciplinary Research in Ageing. Presented at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress  2019  ( IAGGER   2019 ), Gothenburg, Sweden.

Kajaks, T., Harvey, K., Patocs, A., Dunford, E., Garnett, A., Hatzifilalithis, S., Kalu, M., Sangrar, R., Weldrick, R., White, P.J. Costa, A. Understanding the interdisciplinary experiences of trainees in the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, MacPherson Institute Research on Teaching and Learning Conference, Hamilton, ON, Canada, Dec 5-6th, 2019.

PATOCS, A. HARRINGTON, L. WHITE, P.J. DEEVY, C. ABELSON, J, RAINA, P. FLEISIG, R. 2018 Designing a user-centred approach to interdisciplinary research on aging: A case study" 47th Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting of the CAG. Vancouver, British Columbia, October 20, 2018

Gaynor, L., Dempsey, H., & White, P. J. (2018). How Design Thinking Offers Strategic Value to Micro-Enterprises. Paper presented at the Design Research Conference- Design as a Catalyst for Change, Limerick Ireland. https://bit.ly/2UU6cgx doi:10.21606/drs.2018.434

A MCGUIRE, DO BROIN, PJ WHITE, C DEEVY, 2018 The Effect of Game Elements in a Career Awareness System, European Conference on Games Based Learning, 836-XXII

WHITE, P.J., DEEVY, C. HARRINGTON, L. PATOCS, A. 2018. Designing Interdisciplinary Research for Ageing. Engaging in Ageing 2018: New Frontiers of Ageing: Research Policy and Practice. Croke Park, March 2018.

REID, S. MAHER, C, WHITE, P.J. DEEVY, C. 2018 Assisting teachers to implement a design approach to problem solving; using online, ED TECH 2018: TEL Quality Matters - People, Policies and Practices At: Institute of Technology Carlow, Ireland

A MCGUIRE, DO BROIN, PJ WHITE, C DEEVY, K POWER. 2017. Increasing Student Motivation and Awareness of Career Opportunities Through Gamification European Conference on Games Based Learning, 898-906

WHITE, P.J. 2016. Irish Designers as Future Change Agents, Mise Éire Conference Shaping a Nation through Design, Collins Barracks Dublin Nov 2016.

WHITE, P.J. 2016. Designing a Domestic Heating Product for Older people
Within the Concept of ‘Contained Living Spaces’ Social Innovation for Change Conference Barcelona University Oct 2016.

WHITE, P.J. 2016. Evolving Design from Kilkenny Design Workshops to the Future, Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, Kilkenny, May 2016.

A MCGUIRE, DO BROIN, PJ WHITE, C DEEVY, K POWER. 2016. Increasing Student Motivation and Awareness Towards Career Opportunities Through Gamification European Conference on Games Based Learning, 896

WHITE, P.J. 2016. Design-Domesticity-Death, Design, Disease and Design Symposium, Limerick School of Art and Design, April 2016.

DEMPSEY, H. WHITE, P.J.2015. Universal Empathy, Proceedings from Universal Design in Education Conference, Centre of Excellence in Universal Design, Dublin Castle, Dublin.

SHORE, L. WHITE, P.J. DEMPSEY, H. 2015. 'Lifelogging in design research for older adults.' 'Faultlines' Design Research Conference, Carlow Ireland

SHORE, L. WHITE, P.J. DEMPSEY, H. 2015. 'Shared Usability' a support mechanism to product and service system design for older adults. HFES Annual conference, Groningen, The Netherlands

WHITE, P.J. 2015 Design Requirements in Domestic Cooking and Heating Products for Older People The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress 2015, Dublin, Ireland

WHITE, P.J. 2014. Developing the Concept of Shared Usability, Cultural Gerontology Conference NUI Galway, and European Network in Aging studies.

WHITE, P.J. 2013. Ethnography in Designing for Older People. European Conference on Design4 Health. Sheffield Hallam University.

WHITE, P.J. DEVITT, F.2011. Designing Domestic Cooking and Heating Products for the Positive Health and Wellbeing of Irish Older Adults. European Conference on Design 4 Health. Sheffield Hallam University.

WHITE, P.J. 2011. The Design and Development of Novel Cooking and Heating Products for Irish Older Adults- a Real Health Need. Design Principles and Practices Conference Rome, Italy (Resulted in peer reviewed journal publication)

WHITE, P.J. Empathy over Ego: Designing cooking and heating appliances for older adults.  Ethnography, Creativity and Design, 2009 Maynooth, Co Kildare. Intel and the National University of Ireland Maynooth

Conference Artefacts

WHITE, P.J. 2013. Concept Development Board of a Domestic Heating Product for Older Adults. EPIC (Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference Conference) London

Conference Posters

Finegan, T; White, P.J.; Casey B, (2021) Healthcare Provision For Older People In Kilkenny Through The Implementation Of The Integrated Care Programme For Older People, Annual and Scientific Meeting of the Irish Gerontological Society, Age and Ageing Vol 50 Supplement 3

White, P. J., Harrington, L., Patocs, A., & Raina, P. (2019). Using Design to Create Interdisciplinary Research in Ageing. Paper presented at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress  2019  ( IAGGER   2019 ), Gothenburg, Sweden.

WHITE, P.J. 2015. Design Requirements in Domestic Cooking and Heating Products for Older People, IAGG-ER Congress, Dublin, 23-26 April 2015.

GRINCELL, A. DEMPSEY, H. WHITE, P.J. 2015. An Investigation into ATM’s. A user centered study (of older adults) for the development of increased security & usability based on user behaviour. HFES Annual conference, Groningen, The Netherlands

SHORE, L. WHITE, P.J., DEMPSEY, H. 2014. Research development to define 'Shared Usability' in product design for older adults. HFES Annual conference, Lisbon, Portugal

WHITE, P.J. DEVITT, F. Investigating Cooking and Heating Product Needs for Irish Older Adults.  The 9th International European Academy of Design Conference, 2011 Porto, Portugal. EAD, 114.

Research Supervision

Current Research Students                  

• Jack Sweeney- PhD 2021- IT Carlow/Waterford IT
• Fintan Kennedy- MA- 2018- IT Carlow
• Veronica Kingston- MA- 2020- IT Carlow
• Trish Finegan- MA- 2020- IT Carlow

Past Research Students

• Sandra Reid- MA-  IT Carlow
• Linda Shore- MA- IT Carlow
• Alan Grincell- MA-  IT Carlow
• Lee Gaynor- MA- IT Carlow
• Adam Maguire- MA- IT Carlow

Engagement and Collaboration

Dr White has consulted for Irish Government policy initiatives in the area of Design and is an External examiner up to Doctoral level, currently he is an External Examiner for the MA in Interdisciplinary Design Practice Limerick School of Art and Design. Ongoing research with McMaster University involves exploring the use of Design methods within Interdisciplinary research for ageing and gerontology 

Membership, Reviewing Activities and Other Roles

• Lead Editor/ Reviewer Iterations Design Practice Review.  
• PhD Panel Chair and Reviewer Design Research Conference DRS 2018.  
• Member of the Scientific and Programme Committee for UDHEIT Congress. 
• Reviewer for several international peer-review journals within Design and ageing.  
• Interview panel member: National Crafts Council, LSAD and Maynooth University.
• External examiner and Programme Validator up to Doctoral level, University of Limerick, Maynooth University, Limerick School of Art and Design, Limerick Institute of Technology, Galway Mayo IT. 
• Co-Chair and founder of Fault-lines Design Research Conference 
• Consultant for Irish Government policy initiatives in the area of Design: “Winning by Design” report (2017) and  “The Design Island” (2017) consultation papers towards a National Design Strategy. Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation.  
• Member of the Scientific and Programme Committee for UDHEIT Congress 
• Committee and Member Expert for National Standards Association of Ireland 
• IT Carlow Age-Friendly Campus Working Group (2021) 
• IT Carlow Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team Member (2017-19)

Professional Membership  

• 09/19- Current Member of Irish Gerontological Society 
• 05/02- Current Member and former Chair Design Education:  Institute of Designers Ireland  
• 03/13- Current Member of the ACADEMY steering group Limerick School of Art / Design research 
• 05/21- Current Member of the International Participatory Approaches in Ageing Research Network