NewNotes as Keynotes

Diana Osmolska

Diana Osmolska has finished her PhD at the University of Manchester. Diana’s work centres on exploring how designers’ intuition affects the process of gathering and analysing information to reach satisfactory solutions. She is particularly interested in what leads to good judgments and what causes errors in the design process. Her work shows how designers’ decisions on how to proceed, and when solutions are reaching satisfaction are influenced by motivational factors such as feelings of certainty, and situational factors associated with time available. These feelings, however, can be associated with decisions of any quality, therefore, there can be a disparity between a solution that is perceived as satisfactory and a solution that actually resolves the problem.

Diana holds a BA and MArch in Architecture. During her year out in practice, she observed professionals make decisions in action, and, as a hobby at the time, she was also reading books on cognitive psychology. She noticed that architects use intuition during their initial design process. She pursued to explore this in her doctoral research, supported by the prestigious President’s Doctoral Scholar Award given to the top three percent of postgraduate researchers at the University of Manchester. This year, she was nominated for Postgraduate Researcher of the Year, where she was selected amongst her peers to represent her School and was a runner-up in the faculty. 

Beth McManus

Beth Clare McManus is a coaching psychologist, artist, and researcher living in Manchester, UK with her partner, James, and their two Devon Rex cats, Peanut and Pickle. She holds an MSc in Organisational Psychology and an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology (Distinction). She is an active member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Coaching Psychology and is an EMCC Accredited coach at Senior Practitioner level.

Beth has a diverse professional practice portfolio, including part-time employment at the Co-op as a People Coach, and freelance work as an organisational psychologist, coach, supervisor, and artist. She views volunteering as a professional responsibility, supporting EMCC UK as Deputy Director for Research in Coaching Practice and Founder / Co-Lead of their Coaching Psychology Special Interest Group. 

Beth works as a coaching supervisor, with specialisms in coach well-being and arts-based reflective practice. She has published research on using arts-based approaches to support reflective practice, and is currently undertaking a related PhD at the University of East London: exploring the role of arts-based approaches in coaching supervision and reflective practice on coach-practitioner development and identity. She believes her best work happens at the intersection of psychology, coaching, and creativity.

Iyad Sawaftah

Iyad Sawaftah is in his 2nd year of his PhD at Edinburgh Napier University. Iyad is a Jordanian architect, has embarked on a remarkable journey within the world of architecture and design. His educational path commenced with the acquisition of a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Petra in 2021. This academic foundation provided a solid platform for what would become a promising career in architecture.

With a fervent desire to excel, Iyad pursued further education and achieved a master’s degree in Architectural Visualisation from the Kent School of Architecture and Planning in 2022. This advanced degree not only expanded his knowledge but also ignited his creative passion.

In a testament to his dedication and expertise, in 2023, Iyad was awarded a fully funded scholarship from Edinburgh Napier University to undertake a Ph.D. His research project is a pioneering interdisciplinary exploration that merges the realms of the built environment, psychology, and virtual reality. Now in his second year of his Ph.D., Iyad’s research investigates how environmental factors impact cognitive abilities like creativity and flexibility. Utilizing virtual reality technology, he explores settings such as offices, cafes, laboratories, and natural environments. By innovatively using VR tools, the study aims to compare, manipulate, and analyze diverse conditions within these environments to uncover insights into productivity.

Professional growth and experience have been integral to Iyad’s journey. His career includes work at Green Architects+ Planners in Amman, Jordan, which followed comprehensive training in 2020, where he accumulated valuable experience over approximately 18 months. Additionally, Iyad has worked on diverse projects in various countries as a freelance architect, including the UK, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and the UAE. These experiences have enabled him to work on projects of diverse typologies, scales, and complexities, significantly enhancing his versatility as an architect.

Notably, during his master’s program, Iyad made a remarkable mark in the UK with two outstanding visual projects: projection mapping at Rochester Cathedral and St. Augustine’s Abbey. These projects showcased his exceptional skills and innovative approach.

Iyad’s architectural graduation project in 2021, titled “The Hidden Heaven,” achieved significant recognition. It secured the 4th position in the Jordanian Engineering Association (JEA) Architectural Graduation Projects ranking. Moreover, it was recognized as one of the top 100 architectural graduation projects worldwide by the Tamayouz Awards and secured a place as one of the 44 finalists out of 1024 entries in the 7th annual Inspireli Awards.

In 2022, Iyad was appointed as a certificate juror in the Inspireli Awards, one of the largest architecture and design competitions globally, a testament to his standing in the architectural community.