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President's welcome

The Design Research Society is a learned society committed to promoting and developing design research. It is the longest established multi-disciplinary worldwide society for the design research community. In 2016 DRS is celebrating its 50th anniversary, having been established initially in 1966. The Society is now well-established, and the strongest and largest that it has ever been.

DRS pursues an interdisciplinary commitment to studying design across all the different domains of practice. You can see the range of the Society's activities by exploring the content of this website. Those activities include conferences and other meetings to present and discuss research, special interest groups, publications, awards to recognise excellence and achievement, and practical support for research through grants and bursaries.

To support and participate in the Society and to receive the benefits of membership, please join us. Membership is open to anyone engaged in designing or design research and/or who wishes to support the Society's aims.

To become a Member you must subscribe and pay the annual fee (GBP £45). Subscribing to the Design Research Society as a Member brings you a number of benefits. These include reduced costs of Design Research Society conferences and other events, notification about design research meetings and other activities around the World, affiliation to special interest groups, and the possibility to participate in managing the Society and organising its events.

The DRS also offers a reduced Student Membership rate of £45 for 3 years for bona-fide full-time students.

Design Research Society Members with relevant experience and a strong background in design research may apply to become a Fellow of the Design Research Society, and thereby gain peer recognition as a researcher of professional standing and competence.

Professor Rachel Cooper

President, Design Research Society

Rachel Cooper President, DRS