MA Design (Communication)

Dedicated to teaching both theory and practice since 1999, Mel began teaching at Arts University Plymouth in 2004. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Arts University Plymouth Teaching Fellow and RSA Fellow. Mel’s skills and experience are consolidated in her role as Assistant Dean and Principal Lecturer, having long since decided that working alongside the next generation of designers and creatives was exactly where she wanted to be. Previously course leader for BA (Hons) Illustration, Mel built a team of dedicated staff to help shape the identity and curriculum of the course, and the Illustration provision at Arts University Plymouth grew from strength to strength Current pedagogic research is focused on play and the role of curiosity in creative learning. Mel has presented papers at conferences across the UK and Europe: Illustr4tio International Conference (‘Illustration as Reparation’ 2019), GLAD Conference (‘Trading Places: Developing a Model for Interdisciplinary Practice’ 2017), HEA Annual Arts and Humanities Conference (‘The Great Editorial Race: the serious business of play’ 2016), ELIA Teachers Conference (‘The Serious Business of Play’ 2015). She is co-author of journal paper ‘Drawing Thinking: Illustration as Pedagogy' with AUP Senior lecturer Jason Hirons. With a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and MA in Visual Culture from Bath Spa University, in her own practice Mel is obsessed with discarded books and abandoned photographs and seemingly random pieces of ephemera. Through drawing and collage Mel plays with juxtaposition to transform the use, meaning and interpretation of the images she finds and a recurring theme is the plight of lost, broken and damaged things. As part of Mel's role as Assistant Dean, she assists the Dean of Art, Design & Media in the academic and operational leadership of undergraduate Design courses at Arts University Plymouth, driving pedagogic innovation and supporting subject specialisms in Design. She is an active committee member and convenor of the Making Learning research group.In 2026, Mel was appointed as an Associate Professor at Arts University Plymouth, reflecting both her impact within the university and her wider national standing in creative pedagogy, further underscored by her recognition in 2025 as the university’s first National Teaching Fellow.

Sue Lewry began her creative career in London’s fashion industry, working for over 15 years as a graphic designer and art director specialising in editorial and catalogue design. Her growing interest in hands-on making and print led her to complete a Master’s in Printmaking at Arts University Plymouth, where she received the Principal’s Commendation Award for her practice-led research. Sue is based at Grow Plymouth, a community of artists and creative practitioners in Plymouth’s Cultural Quarter. Her work moves between graphic design, screen printing, collage and collaborative making. Alongside her creative practice, she lectures on BA (Hons) Graphic Design, tutors on the Master’s in Design Communication and is an early-career researcher at AUP. As an educator, Sue brings together her design industry experience with the curiosity and experimentation of her creative practice. She creates an open and supportive environment where making and experimentation help students think critically, build confidence in their ideas and develop greater creative independence. Central to Sue’s work is Colossal, her mobile screen-printing studio and experimental platform. Colossal takes screen printing out of the traditional studio and into public and unexpected spaces, bringing together design, participation and live printmaking.Find more out about Sue's work here: www.suelewry.com & www.colossalprint.uk Insta @suelewry & @colossal.print

Sam Rowe is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader on BA (Hons) Illustration and a lecturer on BA (Hons) Graphic Design, where he team-teaches modules on sequential illustration, professional practice, and independent and self promotional practices. Outside his time teaching at Arts University Plymouth, Sam is a freelance illustrator, art director, and designer, working with clients such as The New York Times, Financial Times, Airbnb, Atlassian, The McConnell Foundation, NPR, Dyson, and Bristol University amongst others. Sam is represented globally by The Loud Cloud, an agency that works with a dynamic group of unique illustrators, designers and animators. Sam regularly works with the Society for Research into Higher Education, delivering workshops and seminars focusing on visualising research and sharing best practice. Prior to joining the academic teaching staff at the college, Sam taught illustration at the universities of Gloucestershire and Plymouth. In 2021, Sam also became part of our Postgraduate cohort of students, beginning his MA in Illustration. His research centres on voice and communication, particularly those that bridge difficult gaps in understanding such as language and deep time.