MSc. Loth, M.

Marian Loth is a PhD student at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. She conducts ergonomic PhD design research to improve hygiene of train toilets through collaboration between Delft University of Technology and Dutch National Railways (NS).

Her key research methods are questionnaires, mock-up testing and observational research with participants within a privacy-sensitive domain. The research scope includes and addresses ethical issues. 

Academic Background

Her Master graduation project of a female urinal was the start of researching hygiene issues around public toilets. Loth became a project and design leader of 'lady p.', produced and launched by 1999. At Sphinx, she became manager of innovation and developed sanitary ware concepts for the 'best age' generation of 65+.
Later she founded her design studio, but she returned to doing research at IDE in 2009.
Her partially funded PhD project is a cooperation with the Dutch National Railways and has the aim to enhance the hygiene of NS train toilet facilities through ergonomic design research.

It turned out to be a rich research and design project with approximately 80 Bachelor and Master students involved. In 2016, the Dutch Railways NS introduced Loth's design in the model of their new trains. Publications, interviews in newspapers, on radio and television as ‘Dutch toilet expert’ can be found about her research and her views on the sanitation topic.

Education

• 1998: MSc degree at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology
• 1989: Propaedeutic Exam, Economics at the University of Amsterdam
• 1987: Grammar School, Science degree, Stedelijk Gymnasium Utrecht

Experience

• 2009 - present
  PhD candidate Research & Product development of (train) toilets
• 2001 - 2008
  Freelance Industrial Designer
• 1997 - 2000
  Graduation student, Product Manager, Manager of Innovations at Royal Sphinx Maastricht

Specialisation/Field of research

• Sanitation
• Hygiene
• (Train)Toilets
• Observational research
• Mock-up testing

Lectures/coaches students on

• ID1081ZI: Research and Design for Adaptation programme
• JMP: BOP sanitation project
• Graduation projects