Prof. Dr. Ir. Mugge, R.
Ruth Mugge is professor of Design for Sustainable Consumer Behavior at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. Her main research interests are (sustainable) consumer behaviour, product perception, design for behaviour change, and design for the circular economy.
Academic Background
After completing her PhD on the topic of product attachment, Ruth Mugge continued her research on understanding consumers’ acceptance and behaviour towards (sustainable) products with the intention to provide designers with guidelines on how to design products that trigger the desired inferences and behavioural responses. She has received both European and national (NWO) funding for her research.
Specific research questions that she is currently working on are:
- How can designers stimulate consumers to prolong the lifetime of products?
- How can designers stimulate consumers to repair products?
- How can designers stimulate consumers to take better care of products?
- How can designers stimulate consumers’ acceptance of circular products?
In 2023, she has received a prestigious personal VICI-grant from NWO to investigate how to slow down premature obsolescence in consumer electronics by keeping the value of products high by design.
Ruth Mugge has published on these topics in various scientific journals, such as International Journal of Design, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Design Studies, Journal of Cleaner Production, and the Journal of Product Innovation Management.
Furthermore, Ruth Mugge serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling and is co-chair of the Coordination Committee of the Product Lifetimes and the Environment conference (PLATE). She also serves an editorial board member for Journal of Product Innovation Management, Applied Ergonomics, and Journal of Design Research.
Media Coverage
- NRC article
Wanneer vervang je een apparaat? ‘Laat die wasmachine zeggen: ik ga nog lekker’ - NRC - NOS article
Brussel: kapotte spullen repareren moet makkelijker worden (nos.nl) - Essay voor Ministerie van I&W
Een toekomstvisie over consumentengedrag in een sufficiency-based Circulaire Economie | Kennis en beeld | Nederland circulair in 2050 - Article in New York Times
Smartphones Are Like Cars. So Why Don’t We Maintain Them? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Experience
- 2020 - present
Associate Editor for the Scientific journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling - 2019 - present
Professor of Design for Sustainable Consumer Behavior (Delft University of Technology) - 2013 - 2019
Associate Professor (Delft University of Technology) - 2005 - 2013
Assistant Professor (Delft University of Technology) - 2003 - 2005
Teaching assistant (Delft University of Technology) for Design courses and Statistics
Research Projects

Ruth Mugge
- +31 (0)15 27 83008
- R.Mugge@tudelft.nl
-
Room B-4-010