Who we are

Sue Breakell is Archive Director at the University of Brighton Design Archives, and a Principal Research Fellow. She co-leads the Museums, Archives, Exhibitions strand of the Centre of Design History. In line with the Design Archives’ principle of research-informed stewardship, her research engages with critical thinking about the nature, meaning and practice of archives, focussing on their use in visual arts contexts and in the history and practice of art and design. S.M.Breakell@brighton.ac.uk

Lesley Whitworth is Deputy Curator and Senior Research Fellow in the University of Brighton Design Archives. Her research focuses on twentieth-century Britain and extends from changes in shopping processes and practices; histories of consumer education; domestic material environments; retail and display design; to the emergence of the industrial design profession. L.K.Whitworth@brighton.ac.uk

Sirpa Kutilainen (BA Photography, PgDip Conservation), the Design Archives’ Preservation and Digital Resources Co-ordinator, started working in the archives in 2002. She works on collection care, preservation and developments in digitisation of archival materials. She writes a conservation blog in connection with Design Archives’ preservation and conservation matters. Her research interests lie in preventive conservation and museology. S.Kutilainen@brighton.ac.uk

Jen Grasso (BFA Photography, MA Curating Collections & Heritage, PGCert Archival Studies) is the Digital Content Systems Co-Ordinator at the University of Brighton Design Archives. She focuses on the digital side of things, from disseminating content online to digital preservation. Her interests lie in the intersection between analogue and digital technologies, and the use of technology to democratise culture and heritage. J.Grasso@brighton.ac.uk