About the hosts

Dr Delfina Fantini van Ditmar (Tutor of Research on Fashion MA)

Dr Delfina Fantini van Ditmar is a biologist and design researcher. Her practice is concerned with ecological thinking, reflective systemic practices, regeneration, more than human approaches and alternative futures. Delfina worked previously as a Senior Tutor (Research) at the MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering and as a Tutor (Research) at the Design Products Programme.

Delfina has a BA in Biology and completed a year of an MFA at Konstfack University in Stockholm. She holds a PhD from the RCA with a thesis entitled 'The IdIoT'.

Delfina is a co-Founder of the Design Research Society (DRS) ‘Design and Ethics’

In 2021 she was selected as one of the Future Observatory Design Researcher in Residency (DriR) at the Design Museum in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Driven by her interest in ecological thinking, reflective practices and inter-relations as a systemic response to the environmental collapse, Delfina's critical practice examines material ethics of care and the necessary paradigm shift in design.

In her teaching practice, Delfina encourages students to reflect on epistemological paradigms, envision alternative futures, think systemically and critically analyse the broader implications of their decisions.

Delfina participates in the School of Design transdisciplinary module The Grand Challenge, Across RCA and the elective ‘Design Futures’. Previously Delfina worked as a tutor at Innovation Design Engineering (IDE), Design Products + Futures programme and has been a Visiting Lecturer on the Information Experience Design (IED) programme, MRes RCA Communication Design, MRes RCA Healthcare Design, and the MRes RCA Design pathway.

Delfina has been a crit and Visiting Lecturer in several institutions, including, Politecnico di Milano, TU Berlin, Critical Media Lab Basel, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), Hochschule Luzern (HSLU), École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD), The Bartlett, Architectural Association, University of the Arts, Goldsmiths University, Imperial College London, University of Brighton, University of Leeds, Loughborough University, University for the Creative Arts, Manchester School of Art, Liverpool University, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), Syracuse University and Rice University among others.

Jeroen van Dijk (Student Recruitment & Marketing Manager)

Jeroen van Dijk joined the Royal College of Art as Marketing Manager in 2022 and hosts external and on-campus events in London and across the globe, where he advises incoming students on what it means to study a postgraduate art & design degree at the RCA and how to develop one's creative practice into a successful application.

Jeroen is an architectural history and heritage professional whose research centres on LGBTQ+ perspectives on the built environment. He has written about queer heritage in London and Amsterdam, focusing on queer memorials and nightlife.

Meet the Royal College of Art in Istanbul