Prof. dr. Karana, E.
Elvin Karana is Professor of Materials Innovation and Design at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. Her main research interests are materials innovation and design, materials experience, bio-based materials and bio-technology for product design.
Academic Background
Elvin Karana received her PhD in 2009 from Delft University of Technology. For over fifteen years, she has been investigating the complex nature of our experiences with materials. For over fifteen years, and founded in 2015 Elvin founded the international research group Materials Experience Lab, which introduces unique ways of understanding and designing (with) materials by combining methods and tools from design, social sciences, materials science, and engineering.
Education
- 2009, PhD
Delft University of Technology, Industrial Design Engineering
Title: Meanings Of Materials - 2004, MSc
Middle East Technical University, Ankara
Title: Guidelines for a materials selection source for industrial design - 2002, BID
Middle East Technical University, Ankara
Specialisation/field of research
- Materials Experience
- Material Driven Design
Lectures and/or coaches students on
- Advanced Embodiment Design
Coordinator - Materials For Design
Coordinator, Lecturer - Bachelor End Project
Coach, Expert - Design Experience
Coach

Materials Experience
Elvin Karana, Owain Pedgley, Valentina Rognoli
ISBN: 978 00 8099 359 1
Published in 2013
Still Alive: Livingness as a Material Quality in Design
Elvin Karana
ISBN: 978 90 76861 61 6
Book available online
Published in 2020