Major research interests

My over-riding research interests include the following: 

• User Experience Research
• User-centred Design of Products and Services
• Product/Service Innovation, including the development of research methodologies for examination of interaction with innovative technologies and products
• Human factors and collaboration in design
• Human-Computer Interaction

Dr. Sun is a Professor in Product Design and Manufacture at University of Nottingham Ningbo China. She is a Chartered Technological Product Designer of the Institute of Engineering Designers (iED, UK). She obtained her Doctorate degrees from Loughborough University and Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and was a postdoctoral research fellow at Leicester University and University of Nottingham. Her research in ‘Human-Centred Design’ has produced new products on the market, over 20 patents, and over 70 peer-reviewed publications. She has secured over RMB5 million in funding from various high-level funding bodies (NSFC, AHRC) and industries. Her development of sustainable working relationships with industry has create opportunities for students to showcase their designs to a broader audience and to businesses. Over 30 of her supervised students’ designs have been recognised by the world’s largest, most prestigious and influential design accolades, such as IF design, A ‘Design award, International Design Awards, European Product Design Award.

Supervision Responsibility of PhD students

I am currently supervising 10 students in their PhD research (9 as principal/first supervisor). I have supervised a total of 16 PhD students in my career, of which 6 have completed in the past years. All students passed their viva exams first time, subject to only minor corrections of their theses.

1. Name: Xiaosong Zhou (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Completion of PhD with minor corrections of the thesis.
2. Name: Joyce Addae (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Completion of PhD with minor corrections of the thesis.
3. Name: Lanyun Zhang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Completion of PhD with minor corrections of the thesis.
4. Name: Pinyan Tang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Second/ Completion of PhD with minor corrections of the thesis.
5. Name: Nan Wang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Second/ Completion of PhD with minor corrections of the thesis.
6. Name: Cao Zhang(full-time)/ Supervision status: Second/ Completion of PhD with minor corrections of the thesis.
7. Name: Leijing Zhou (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Submitting thesis.
8. Name: Siyuan Zhou (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Third year.
9. Name: Hua Ma (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Second year.
10. Name: Jing Ma (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Second year.
11. Name: Fang Yang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Second year.
12. Name: Yifan Yang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Second year.
13. Name: Jiming Bai (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Second year.
14. Name: Mengshen Yang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ Second year.
15. Name: Yifan Zhang (full-time)/ Supervision status: Second/ Second year.
16. Name: Ruiheng Lan (full-time)/ Supervision status: Principal/ First year.

• Physical Ergonomics
• RSA Design Project
• BEng Major Design Project