Robin Roy has a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering, an M.Sc and a Ph.D in Design Technology, all from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. After a short perion of teaching in the USA, he joined the Faculty of Technology at the Open University in January 1971 as one of the first lecturers in Design and was awarded a personal chair in Design and Environment in 1999. After retiring in 2012 as one of the longest serving OU academics he became an Emeritus Professor and is still active in teaching and research.
In 1979 Robin founded the Design Innovation Group to research design and innovation management and sustainable design and directed the Group until he retired in 2012. He has published many books, book chapters, papers and articles on topics ranging from design creativity and the successful management of new product development to environmentally sustainable education systems and consumer adoption of low and zero carbon technologies. His recent book Consumer Product Innovation and Sustainable Design (2016) tracks the innovation, design and evolution of consumer products from their initial invention to the present (see publications).
In his very long career Robin has chaired and contributed to many OU courses and modules on design, innovation, energy and environment, beginnning with T100 The Man-made World (1972) and T262 Man-made futures: Design and Technology (1975) and most recently T217 Design Essentials (2013); T317 Innovation: Designing for change (2015); and the new edition of U116 Environment: Journeys through a changing world (2017).
Robin is a Board member of Wolverton Community Energy and a Trustee of Powerful Information, a local international development charity.
Robin is a Fellow and Council member of the Design Research Society, a member of the National Energy Foundation's Advisory Council and of National Energy Services Ltd.'s Impartiality Commiteee.
Roy, Robin and Reidel, Johann C. k. h.
Caird, S. and Roy, R.
The Energy Saving Trust, London, UK.
The Open University Design Innovation Group, Milton Keynes UK.
Design Innovation Group, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
The Stationery Office, London, UK.
Design Innovation Group, The Open University, Milton Keynes.