DoctorNick Emerson

I am a senior lecturer and Associate Head of the School of Product Design, where I teach engineering design and analysis skills for Industrial Product Design students. I have a passion for teaching and am inspired by the creativity and flexibility of product design students. I am interested in the integration of engineering science, digital design, analysis, and manufacturing in the product design curriculum and considering how these techniques impact productivity and project outcomes.

My background is in engineering design and applied simulation methods, developed through my work as a mechanical design engineer and a PhD within the University of Sheffield's Centre for Sports Engineering Research. My doctoral work used simulation methods and physical testing to diagnose the causes of suspected non-accidental injury in children, providing a framework for the design and analysis focus that has underpinned my academic career. I have worked as an academic in the UK, in Australia, and now in New Zealand. Since early 2018 I have taught Product Design degree pathways, helping students to harness technical design, testing, and analysis practice through their design work.

My research interests include design and analysis of sports and rehabilitative equipment, safety, injury prevention, and sustainability, and the integration of digital design and analysis tools in the product design process. I am also interested in the use of materials, in particular engaging lower impact and waste materials within design. My teaching and service roles have driven an interest in pedagogical research, including the integration of engineering science in industrial product design, as well as the structuring and delivery of technical design programs.

My 2026 research sabbatical focusses around a goal-setting study into the sustainability of mountain biking as a destination activity. This year-long project engages MTB stakeholders from across the globe in pursuit of a research framework to support the design and implementation of successful trail experiences for years to come.

I am co-author, with Tom Allen, John Hart, and Stefan Schwanitz, of Introductory Sports Engineering and Technology (Routledge, 2026), a primer for undergraduate and master's students covering the core principles, case studies, and applied methods that underpin sports equipment design, performance analysis, and injury reduction.