Deakin University
Bringing ground breaking
research to life
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Concept development
Art direction
3D rendering
Photography
Editorial design
Digital assets
Concept development
Art direction
Editorial design
3D rendering
Photography
Digital assets
Creative concept, photography, design and art direction for the 2018 edition of dKin – the annual advancement magazine for Deakin University which highlights the global impact of this youthful institution.
This landmark 40th anniversary publication featured 15 global alumni – shot on location in London, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Colombo and Delhi – plus seven ground-breaking research projects. We worked closely with researchers in Melbourne and Geelong to bring their often abstract work to life – from the reinvention of prison systems to reimagining multiculturalism; and from robots with a sense of touch to the role of emoji in criminal prosecutions.
The dark side of emoji
While most people use emojis as a lighthearted means of communication, they are also increasingly being used to bully, harass, defame and threaten. The explosion in the use of emoji has revealed a gap in the law, and researchers at Deakin are working to define their use as evidence in a legal context.
Prison break
In the past 10 years, Victoria’s prison population has increased by 70%, but 50% of Victorian prisoners come from just 6% of our postcodes. This research proposes a way to break that cycle of disadvantage in these areas, and how interconnectivity of services can help to solve an incredibly complex issue.
Saving the Baw Baw frog
The Baw Baw frog is only found in the Baw Baw plateau area in the central highlands of Victoria and its population has declined by 98% since the 1980s due to an amphibian fungus. The Baw Baw frog Species Recovery Team is working to save the critically endangered frog, giving evolution a helping hand.
The magic of realism
Magical realist literature interlaces magical elements with real events to expose the fake news of the past. It is quirky and outrageous, but magical realism novels are doing some really serious work – helping us to understand violent histories which have been written out of the history books. Our art direction of this feature saw us producing a surreal scene of real and imagined objects, awash in a sea of words.
Sensing motion
The BioKin is a tiny wearable device originally designed to replace green screens for special effects in Hollywood. Thanks to researchers in Deakin’s School of Engineering and their collaboration with the medical industry, this ground-breaking device is instead transforming the lives of people afflicted by Parkinson’s disease, strokes and other neurological problems.
Robots to the rescue
The robotic revolution has arrived, and Deakin is at the forefront with a fleet of robots that have become essential first responders in dangerous situations. Remotely controlled, and equipped with haptic technology to give a sense of touch, these robots are controlled by experts thousands of miles away and are capable of everything from disarming explosive devices through to performing life-saving surgery.
