Erik Asia is a Filipino industrial designer, researcher, and educator currently based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. His design and research practices surround his interests in user-object relationships of physical interactions, discursive design, digital fabrication, and design education, specifically on experiential and object-oriented learning.

He completed his Master of Design (Interaction) degree from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, Canada and BFA (Industrial Design) from the University of the Philippines Diliman where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Erik explores tangible interactions through a user-centred, research-driven, affordance-based design approach, working with mixed methods of investigation and experimentation that make use of research-through-design practices of embedded discourse. He sparks curiosity and delves into thought-provoking questions that ignite meaningful conversations about the mundane everyday life and user behaviours.

Curriculum Vitae

Current Role(s)

• 2024 - PRESENT: Sessional Faculty | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA

Past Experiences

• 2024: Experimental Interaction Designer | A&K Robotics, CA
• 2024: Research Assistant for CAREB-ACEER Showcase Hall Poster Submission | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA
• 2024: Section Editor for From & Beyond Design (book)
• 2023: Graduate Teaching Fellow | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA
• 2023: Industrial Design Research Assistant for Mulplane Animation Stand Project | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA
• 2023: Graduate Orientation Lead | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA
• 2023: Research Assistant for Research Ethics Writing Group | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA
• 2023: Graduate Teaching Assistant | Emily Carr University of Art + Design, CA
• 2020 - 2021: Industrial Designer / Student Researcher for reBIRTH project | UPD Humanitarian Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Design (HEED) Research Group, PH
• 2021: Product Design and Development Intern | A2 Design Lab, PH
• 2021: Product Design Intern | BookSpine PH, PH
• 2020: Designer | Cloop Technologies, PH
• 2019 - 2020: Fabrication Lab Intern | UP College of Fine Arts Fabrication Lab, PH

Education

• 2022 - 2024: Master of Design (Interaction) | Emily Carr University of Art + Design
• 2018 - 2022: Bachelor of Fine Arts (Industrial Design), Magna Cum Laude | University of the Philippines Diliman

Awards

• 2024: Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design (AICAD) Post-graduate Teaching Fellowship Nominee
• 2021: Bakong Circular Design Challenge Finalist
• 2020: James Dyson Awards Philippine National Winner 
• 2020: Alfredo M. Yao Intellectual Property Awards Finalist

Publications

• 2024: The In Between (Cognitive Ergonomics Evaluation in Public Spaces: A Cultural-Affordance-Based Approach)
• 2024: From & Beyond Design: A Collection of Design Research Explorations
• 2022: WHITESPACE: A Minimal and Interactive Wall-mounted Time Visualization Tool for Self-Directed Learners that Emphasizes a Healthy Work-Life Balance through Time Blocking

Conferences

• 2024: Reaching for Tools: Gaps in Awareness of Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research in Art and Design Scholarship | CAREB-ACCER 2024 Virtual Conference Showcase Hall Poster
  

Exhibitions

• 2024: The Show, graduate student exhibition | ECUAD
• 2022: The Exit Project (ExP), online graduation exhibition | UPD
• 2020: Silaw | UPD
• 2019: IDiD Industrial Design Year-end Exhibition | UPD