Paul Russell is a Teaching Fellow in Industrial Design at Loughborough University’s School of Design and Creative Arts and Programme Lead for the MSc Integrated Industrial Design.
His teaching focuses on digital design practice and emerging technologies, including computer-aided design (CAD), digital fabrication, visualisation, generative AI, augmented and virtual reality, interaction design, and spatial design. He supports students across the design process, from early concept development through to prototyping, refinement and final communication.
Paul’s specialist interests include parametric and surface modelling, polygonal and subdivision modelling, digital rendering, interactive technologies and AI-enabled design workflows. His teaching combines established industrial design methods with contemporary digital tools, helping students develop both practical capability and a critical understanding of new technologies.
His research explores the impact of generative AI on industrial design practice and education. Wider interests include computational design, mass customisation, digital fabrication, humanitarian design, and the ethics and aesthetics of design.
Paul is particularly interested in how emerging technologies can be integrated into design education in ways that support creativity, critical thinking and responsible professional practice.
Paul’s research focuses on the impact of generative artificial intelligence on industrial design practice and education. Through case studies and practice-based investigation, he explores how emerging AI tools are reshaping design processes, professional roles and approaches to teaching and learning within industrial design.
Paul’s work considers both the practical opportunities presented by new digital tools and their broader implications for designers, educators and students. A key theme within his research is the responsible integration of generative AI into design practice and pedagogy, with particular attention to how these technologies influence creativity, skills, decision-making and the evolving nature of industrial design.
Paul teaches across undergraduate and master’s programmes, with a focus on the ideation, exploration, development and visual communication of design concepts. His teaching combines traditional design methods, including sketching and model making, with contemporary digital tools such as CAD, generative AI, digital rendering and extended reality.
He has particular expertise in advanced CAD and digital modelling, including parametric, surface, polygonal, subdivision and SubD NURBS modelling. He also teaches image and video rendering, technical drawing, prototyping, augmented reality and virtual reality as methods for developing and communicating design proposals.
Paul leads teaching in advanced CAD, digital visualisation and generative AI, including developing and delivering second-year modules including The Ethics and Aesthetics of Generative AI in Design and Co-Designing Products with Generative AI. His teaching increasingly explores how emerging technologies can be integrated critically and effectively into contemporary industrial design practice and education.
Paul’s impact and engagement activity centres on the role of emerging technologies in industrial design practice and education. He contributes to wider discussions around generative AI, digital design, and design pedagogy through talks, workshops, external collaborations and public-facing academic engagement.
He has been interviewed for podcasts and invited to give webinars and regularly presents at other universities to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on design, where he has discussed the opportunities, challenges and ethical considerations associated with the growing use of generative AI in design education and practice.
Paul also contributes to academic quality assurance and sector development through his role as External Examiner at the University of Southampton’s Winchester School of Art. His external engagement reflects a broader interest in supporting the development of future proofed design education, sharing practice across institutions and contributing to discussion around how new technologies are influencing design curricula, professional skills and future modes of practice.