Dr. Katherine (Kate) Sellen, a leading design researcher working at the intersection of health innovation and human-centred systems, has been appointed the Faculty of Engineering’s inaugural George Soulis Chair in the Department of Systems Design Engineering (SYDE).
Beginning May 1, 2025, Sellen will bring her practice-based research and strong commitment to community impact into a role that builds on the department’s legacy of interdisciplinary, human-centred design education. She will lead the renewal of core design courses in both the Systems Design Engineering and Biomedical Engineering programs and mentor faculty through this transition.
“Her work reflects the department’s founding vision — bridging systems thinking with design practice to create integrated, participatory, and human-focused solutions,” said Dr. Lisa Aultman-Hall, chair of Systems Design Engineering. “Her focus on health innovation exemplifies the kind of collaborative, forward-thinking leadership this role was designed to champion.”
Recognized leader in health design and innovation
Sellen comes to Waterloo from OCAD University, where she held a Canada Research Chair in Health Design and recently served as Full Professor in the Faculty of Design. With a background in digital design and advanced degrees from the University of Toronto, Georgia Tech, and University College London, her work spans health, design, and community engagement. Her research explores temporal and dynamic aspects of healthcare design — work that has led to new information tools and participatory methods adopted by hospitals, public health agencies and not-for-profits.
Since 2017, she has secured more than $25 million in research funding through collaborations with healthcare partners at both national and provincial levels. Her work includes co-designed overdose first aid kits, award winning multilingual COVID-19 communication tools, and interactive installations on end-of-life care. These projects exemplify her ability to create tools with tangible, real-world impact — especially in urgent and dynamic environments like emergency rooms and community health settings — while advancing participatory design approaches.
"Design is about creativity and new ideas, but it’s also about innovation that works in real-world settings. It calls for flexible thinking, balancing the technical with the human and bringing together expert and community perspectives,” said Sellen. “In my new role as the inaugural George Soulis Chair, I’m eager to build students’ capacity to tackle the complex challenges of today and tomorrow — and to help shape a healthier, more resilient future."
Honouring a legacy of innovation in Systems Design
The Chair honours the legacy of the late Professor George Soulis, whose visionary work helped shape SYDE into one of the Faculty’s most innovative and interdisciplinary departments. The Chair was established through a generous gift from David J. Cornfield (BASc ’85, systems design engineering, LLD ’24) and Linda Archer Cornfield (LLD ‘24). Cornfield credits Soulis’s influence with shaping his own career and sees the Chair as a lasting tribute to the department’s founding values.
“When the department was founded more than 50 years ago, it was ahead of its time in recognizing that engineers would need to address interconnected, complex challenges — ones that demand collaboration, creativity and design thinking. This new role continues that tradition,” said Dean Mary Wells. “We are thrilled to welcome her to the Faculty of Engineering.”
Dr. Katherine (Kate) Sellen