Dr Russell Kennedy is a Senior Lecturer in Screen and Design in the School of Communication and Creative Arts in Deakin University’s Faculty of Arts and Education. He is an academic and practitioner of both communication design and filmmaking.

His PhD (2015) titled, ‘Designing with Indigenous Knowledge Protocols for Respectful and Authentic Cross-cultural Representation in Communication Design Practice’ led to co authorship of the award winning Australian and International Indigenous Design Charters.

A Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA), Kennedy was President of ico-D, International Council of Design (2009-2011). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (RSA), based in London and an active member of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA). Kennedy was a Regional Ambassador to INDEX: ‘Design to Improve life’, the Danish Government’s International Award program (2009-2013).

In 2009 he was a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Government advisory board for the Seoul Design Olympics and the advisory board of the World Design Capital Seoul 2010. Kennedy was also an advisor to Design Victoria and Arts Queensland and has worked closely with the Victorian and Queensland Governments on Ico-D events and projects. He was a committee member of Geelong’s successful UNESCO City of Design application in 2017 and advisor to the City of Bendigo on their UNESCO Creative City Network application as a City of Gastronomy.