Projects per year
Personal profile
SUMMARY of research interests (100 words)
Naomi is Lecturer in Design Policy and Futures Thinking. As an interdisciplinary academic, her work crosses various disciplines including design, computer science, social science, and fan and audience studies. Naomi's previous work has focused primarily on interaction; between individuals, communities, disciplines or sectors, and between people and technology and the media they consume.
Her current research often uses speculative design methods and design fiction, and focuses on how technologies such as IoT and AI are being implemented and governed. This includes research related to design for policy, particularly in the context of policy for ethical use of new technologies. She also co-leads the cross-university Fan Studies Lancaster research group.
Naomi has published papers on topics including the impact of AI on design teaching, the governance of smart cities, livestreaming of fan conventions, speculative uses of data and technology in food supply chains, and how to use zombie apocalypse modelling for epidemiology education.
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Creative Methodologies for Inclusive Healthcare Design Fututres
Dalton, B. (Co-Investigator), Jacobs, N. (Co-Investigator) & Eseonu, T. (Co-Investigator)
1/01/25 → …
Project: Research
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The Queer Lives of the Hospital: An Archive of LGBTQIA+ Experiences of Hospital Environments
Dalton, B. (Principal Investigator), Duffy, D. (Principal Investigator), Boyko, C. (Principal Investigator), Johns, D. (Principal Investigator) & Jacobs, N. (Principal Investigator)
1/03/24 → …
Project: Research
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Supporting ‘Good’ Adoption of Generative AI
Mullagh, L. (Principal Investigator), Jacobs, N. (Principal Investigator), Lindley, J. (Principal Investigator) & Snooks, K. (Researcher)
13/01/25 → 31/03/25
Project: Research
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Speculative Woolgathering: Anticipatory Evaluation of Digital Good
Perez Ojeda, D. (Co-Investigator) & Jacobs, N. (Principal Investigator)
1/10/24 → 11/07/25
Project: Research
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E3: Taking IoT for a walk
Jacobs, N. (Principal Investigator)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
1/04/22 → 30/09/23
Project: Research
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Bridging Design and Fandom: Fan Studies and Design Research in Conversation
Jacobs, N. (Editor), 19/09/2026, (Accepted/In press) Leeds: Emerald.Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Book
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Explainer 005 Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Human Employment
chuah, E., Winter, P., Jacobs, N., McAlaney, J., Lu, Y., Vigano, L., Reid, I. & Dover, R., 16/01/2026, 8 p. (SPRITE+ Explainers)Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Co-written Report
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From Bricolage to Speculative Design: Creative Methodologies for Hospital and Healthcare Design Futures
Chalmers, M., Dalton, B. & Jacobs, N., 31/03/2026, In: L'Esprit Créateur. 65, 4, p. 57-72 16 p.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Speculative Woolgathering: Using design approaches to explore values in the UK wool supply chain to enable digital good
Jacobs, N., Birch, E., Craigon, P., Drury, K., Gutierrez Mendoza, A., Manning, L. & Perez Ojeda, D., 8/06/2026, (E-pub ahead of print) DRS2026: Research Papers. Edinburgh: Design Research Society, 457. (Proceedings of DRS; vol. 2026).Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSN › Conference contribution/Paper › peer-review
Open Access -
Designing the future of healthcare: the role of design research in shaping digital twin technologies
Tsekleves, E., Cooper, R., Jacobs, N. & Cureton, P., 1/07/2025, In: Design for Health. 9, 1, p. 121-131 11 p.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Editorial › peer-review
Open AccessFile87 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
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Transformative Works and Cultures (Journal)
Jacobs, N. (Peer reviewer)
22/06/2026Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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The Spirit Hospital: Hospital Afterlives
Dalton, B. (Speaker) & Jacobs, N. (Speaker)
15/06/2026Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Speculative Woolgathering: Using design approaches to explore values in the UK wool supply chain to enable digital good
Jacobs, N. (Speaker) & Perez Ojeda, D. (Speaker)
10/06/2026Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Endless Possibilities in the age of climate collapse
Jacobs, N. (Speaker), Hoyng, R. (Speaker), Traisnel, A. (Speaker), Watkins Fisher, A. (Speaker), Halkort, M. (Speaker) & Tavmen, G. (Member of Panel)
4/06/2026Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Polycrisis and Human Vulnerability
Jacobs, N. (Participant)
23/03/2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Press/Media
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Speculative Woolgathering at North Sheep event
Jacobs, N. & Birch, E.
4/06/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: TV Interview/Appearance
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UK working group considers ethics of emerging agtech
30/11/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Newspaper Article
Datasets
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AI3SD video: AI4SD & IoFT AI for ethics working group: introducing the working group & our methodologies: moral IT cards & design fiction #video #greyliterature
Kanza, S. (Creator), Jacobs, N. (Creator), Craigon, P. (Creator), Frey, J. (Contributor) & Niranjan, M. (Contributor), University of Southampton, 3/03/2022
DOI: 10.5258/soton/ai3sd0211, https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/469296/
Dataset