Caroline Gagnon

Caroline Gagnon is a professor and researcher in design whose work focuses on the role of design in public projects and infrastructure. Early in her career, she examined how design practices influence the social and public acceptance of infrastructure projects in the energy, transportation, and green infrastructure sectors.

In recent years, her research has explored the innovative potential of design to improve the material and organizational experience of public services, particularly in the education and healthcare sectors. A central concern of her work is the responsibility and legitimacy of designers in public projects, as well as their capacity to influence decision-making in support of the common good and social, spatial, and environmental justice.

From 2014 to 2021, she served as Director of the Product Design Program at Université Laval, which she founded and led through its development. She played a key role in defining the program’s pedagogical vision, curriculum, and outreach. In recognition of her leadership and commitment to teaching excellence, she received the Excellence in Teaching Award for Program Direction in 2018.