Donna Cleveland

Donna Cleveland

Interim Dean of School of Communication & Design
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Details

  • College: College of Design and Social Context VN
  • Department: Design and Social Context VN
  • Campus: Saigon South Campus Vietnam
  • donna.cleveland@rmit.edu.vn

Open to

  • Masters Research or PhD student supervision

About

Associate Professor Donna Cleveland is the Interim Dean of the School of Communication & Design at RMIT Vietnam. She leads a diverse academic community across seven programs, driving excellence in teaching, research, and industry engagement. Her research focuses on sustainability in design, circular economy practices, and future materials, with a particular emphasis on regenerative fashion and human-material interactions.

With a strong background in academic leadership, Donna has played a key role in embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the curriculum at RMIT Vietnam, ensuring students graduate with future-ready skills. She has secured multiple research grants in sustainability, digital innovation, and industry-partnered learning.

Before joining RMIT Vietnam, Donna held several leadership roles at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), including Associate Head of School – Learning and Teaching at the School of Future Environments and Program Director for Creative Technologies.

Media

UN sustainable development goals

  • 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
  • 13 Climate Action
  • 14 Life Below Water
  • 15 Life on Land
  • 4 Quality Education

Academic positions

  • Associate Head of Learning and Teaching
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • SCHOOL OF FUTURE ENVIRONMENTS
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2019 – 2021
  • Programme Director
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • BACHELOR OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2018 – 2021
  • Lecturer (sessional)
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • MASTER OF DESIGN
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2015 – 2017
  • Research Assistant and Workshop presenter (part-time)
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • TEXTILE DESIGN LABORATORY and COLAB
  • , New Zealand
  • 2014 – 2019
  • Lecturer
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • TEXTILE DESIGN DEPARTMENT
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2014 – 2018
  • Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2014 – 2021

Degrees

  • Ph.D, Other
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • New Zealand
  • 2015 – 2018

Supervisor projects

  • Textile and Apparel Transformation in Vietnam: Crafting a Sustainable Blueprint
  • 6 Aug 2024

Teaching interests

Donna Cleveland primarily supervises PhD students, focusing on sustainability, material innovation, and industry-embedded learning. Her supervisory approach emphasizes interdisciplinary research, practice-led methodologies, and real-world impact, particularly in areas such as circular fashion, and future materials.

Research interests

Donna Cleveland’s research is interdisciplinary, focusing on sustainability, material innovation, and the integration of emerging technologies in design education and practice. Her work explores how regenerative materials, circular design, and digital fabrication can drive sustainable futures in fashion, textiles, and creative industries. She leads the Vietnam Design Research Studio (VDRS), which explores regenerative sustainable fashion futures, traditional Vietnamese textile craft knowledge, and community co-design initiatives. 

 

Key Research Areas:
  • Sustainable Design & Circular Economy – Investigating responsible production models, regenerative materials, and localized manufacturing approaches.
  • Future Materials & Biomaterials – Exploring bacterial cellulose, biofabrication, and alternative materials for sustainable design solutions.
  • Vietnam Design Research Studio (VDRS) – Leading research on traditional textile craft knowledge, co-design methodologies, and regenerative fashion futures.
  • Plastics & Circular Design (Plastic Tracker Project) – Researching plastic waste movement, circular economy strategies, and material reuse in design and manufacturing.
  • Industry-Embedded Learning & Pedagogical Innovation – Developing frameworks for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and embedding sustainability into higher education curricula.