john powell

john powell

  • jpowell at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
UN SDGs:
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Biography

John Powell MBE is a Senior Lecturer in Design and Engineering at Bournemouth University whose work sits at the intersection of human-centred design, injury prevention and safety innovation. His teaching and research focus on design leadership, product design, design ethics and the development of practical interventions for real-world safety challenges.

John’s research is particularly centred on drowning prevention in low-resource and high-risk contexts. He is part of the NIHR-funded Sonamoni project and leads the international design team within the study, working with collaborators across the UK, Bangladesh and East Africa. His work explores how hybrid design methods can be used to develop effective, context-sensitive interventions, including approaches to safer rescue equipment, buoyancy products and improved access to weather and safety information for at-risk communities.

Alongside his academic role, John contributes to international policy and practice through partnerships with organisations including the RNLI, WHO and Design Without Borders Africa...

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Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:

Good health and well-being

"Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"

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Reduced inequalities

"Reduce inequality within and among countries"

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Sustainable cities and communities

"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable"

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Partnership for the Goals

"Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development"

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Journal Articles

  • Powell, J., Nkurunziza, D., Mugema, A., Kawira, N., Sindall, R.C., 2025. Understanding the Risks to Artisanal Fishers on Lake Victoria Using Design Methods. Journal of Agromedicine, 30 (2), 341-350.
  • powell, J., 2018. rescued by design. International Journal of Technology and Design Education.

Books

  • powell, 2015. International teaching, training and assessment in low resource areas. Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Conferences

  • Powell, J., Underwood, G., Conrad, F., 2025. FROM CLASSROOM TO CRISIS: APPLYING TEACHING METHODS TO TACKLE DROWNING IN BANGLADESH. , 175-180.
  • powell, J., underwood, G., 2024. bridging the empathy gap. In: Engineering and Product Design Education 2023 07/09/2023 Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering.
  • Hossain, M.S., van Teijlingen, E., powell, J., Mecrow, T., Sindall, R., Cha, K., Mytton, J., Dutta, N.C., Parveen, R., Lim, Y., Conrad, F., Rahman, A., 2024. Using human-centred design (HCD) to develop community-led interventions for preventing drowning among children under 2 years in rural Bangladesh. In: the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention & Safety Promotion (Safety 2024). 02/09/2024 Delhi, India. Injury Prevention, 30 (207), A42 BMJ.
  • Wachs, M.E., Fairburn, S., Powell, J., 2024. THE ROLE FOR AI IN A COIL PROJECT INVOLVING FAST FASHION, PERSONAL FLOATATION DEVICES, AND A LMIC COMMUNITY. Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education Rise of the Machines Design Education in the Generative AI Era E and Pde 2024, 97-102.
  • Powell, J., Underwood, G., 2017. Rescued by design: Enabling low-Resource communities to reduce global drowning. Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education Building Community Design Education for A Sustainable Future E and Pde 2017, 206-211.
  • Koohgilani, M., Powell, J., Underwood, G., 2015. RP or not RP: That is the co-creation question. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education Great Expectations Design Teaching Research and Enterprise E and Pde 2015, 246-251.
  • Humphries-Smth, T., Blount, G., Powell, J., 2014. Ethics - Research, engineering, design... They're all the same aren't they? Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education Design Education and Human Technology Relations E and Pde 2014, 485-491.

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Interdisciplinary Group Prioject

Profile of Teaching UG

  • Innovation and Professional Practice
  • Business Developement
  • Electrical and Electronic Principles
  • Design Projects
  • Technology for Design

Invited Lectures

  • The International Drowning Epidemic, Bournemouth University, 05 Dec 2014 more

Grants

  • Drowning Prevention for newly mobile infants under two’s in Bangladesh (NIHR, 01 Nov 2023). In Progress

External Responsibilities

  • WHO/RNLI - Buoyancy Working group for LMICs, Chair (2019-)
  • British Standards Organisation, Committee Member - Water Rescue Equipment (2010-)
  • Poole Harbour Islands Safety Group, Chair

Internal Responsibilities

  • responsible for L4 experience accros the Design and Engineering Programmes, Level 4 Tutor

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • Trilateral University Project (04 Mar 2025)
  • Co-creation (28 Sep 2014)
  • ESRC Festival of Science
  • International Personal Floatation Device Working Group

Honours

  • MBE (Her Majesty the Queen, 2019)
  • H.E.R.O. Award for the development of the Bottle Buoy public rescue equipment (International Maritime Rescue Federation, 2016)
  • Young electronic designer awards : National 3rd Place (Electronic Designers Awards, 1993)
  • United Kingdom - Winner : European young scientist award (European Union, 1992)
  • Young Engineer for Britain National Final - 2nd (Engineering Council UK, 1992)

Networks

  • UK injury prevention researchers
The data on this page was last updated at 22:26 on March 28, 2026.