Dr Kyungeun Sung

Kyungeun’s research broadly deals with design and sustainability focusing on upcycling (see research interests for details). She received her PhD degree in Sustainable Design at Nottingham Trent University, Master’s degree in Strategic Product Design at Delft University of Technology, and Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (see qualifications for details). 

Kyungeun is interested in supervising PhD students. If you are interested please see research interests/expertise and publications to see more information about her research field.  

Institute of Art and Design 

Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Oehlmann, J., Singh, J. and Mont, O. (2020). Multi-stakeholder perspectives on scaling up UK fashion upcycling businesses. Fashion Practice, 1-20. 

Sung, K. and Yoon, J. (2019). Embedding sustainability in design education: the case of design project on systemic changes for sustainable businesses based on upcycling. Expanding communities of sustainable practice symposium 2018 proceedings, 72-81.

Singh, J., Sung, K., Cooper, T., West, K. and Mont, O. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for scaling up upcycling businesses - The case of textile and wood upcycling businesses in the UK. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 150, 104439. 

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2019). Developing Interventions for Scaling Up UK Upcycling. Energies, 12(14), 1-31.

Sung, K. (2019). Upcycling for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Literature Review. in: Filho W., et al. (eds) Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development. Springer, Cham, 371-382. 

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2019). Factors Influencing Upcycling for UK Makers. Sustainability, 11(3), 1-26. 

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Oehlmann, J. and Singh, J. (2018). Scaling up British fashion upcycling businesses: Multi-stakeholder perspectives. Proceedings of Global Fashion Conference, London, 31 October-1 November. 

Sung, K. and Rowan, N. (2018). CAD Education Curricula in Product Design: The Case of De Montfort University, UK. Proceedings of CAD'18, Paris, 9-11 July (pp. 81-85). 

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Kettley, S. (2018). Emerging Social Movements for Sustainability: Understanding and Scaling Up Upcycling in the UK. In: Brinkmann R., Garren S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 299-312.

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Ramanathan, U. and Singh, J. (2017). Challenges and support for scaling up upcycling businesses in the UK: Insights from small-business entrepreneurs. Product Lifetimes And The Environment (PLATE) 2017 Conference, Delft, 8-10 November (pp. 397-401).  

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Painter-Morland, M., Oxborrow, L., Ramanathan, U. and Singh, J. (2017). Multi-stakeholder perspectives on the challenges and success factors for scaling up upcycling businesses in fashion industry in the UK. 18^th European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production, Skiathos Island, 1-5 October (p. 345).

Salvia, G., Braithwaite, N., Moreno, M., Norman, J., Scott, K., Sung, K., Cooper, T., Barret, J., Hammond, G. (2017). Understanding consumption: Why and how do we use products? (report) Leeds: Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products.

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2017). Individual upcycling in the UK: Insights for scaling up towards sustainable development. in W. Filho (Ed), Sustainable Development Research at Universities in the United Kingdom, Cham: Springer, 193-227.

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2016). An alternative approach to influencing behaviour: Adapting Darton’s Nine Principles framework for scaling up individual upcycling. In P. Lloyd & E. Bohemia (Eds.), Proceedings of DRS2016: Design + Research + Society – Future-Focused Thinking, Brighton, 27-30 June (Volume 4, pp. 1277-1290). 

Sung, K. (2015). Appropriate technology (Volume 1, p.46); Renewable resources (Volume 3, p.156); Source reduction (Volume 3, p.243); and Waste (Volume 3, p.414). in C. Edwards (Ed), Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Design, London: Bloomsbury Academic. 

Sung, K., and Cooper, T. (2015). Sarah Turner–Eco-artist and designer through craft-based upcycling. Craft Research, 6(1), 113-122.

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2015). An exploratory study on the links between individual upcycling, product attachment, and product longevity. In T. Cooper et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Product Lifetimes And The Environment (PLATE) 2015 Conference, Nottingham, 17-19 June (pp. 349-356).

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2015). An Exploratory Study on the Consequences of Individual Upcycling: Is It Worth Making People Feel Attached to Their Upcycled Products? Paper presented at Nottingham Trent University CADBE Doctoral Conference 2015, Nottingham, 8-9 June (selected as the best paper).

Sung, K. (2015). A review on upcycling: Current body of literature, knowledge gaps and a way forward. Proceedings of the 17^th International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, Venice, 13-14 April (pp. 28-40). 

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2014). Individual upcycling practice: Exploring the possible determinants of upcycling based on a literature review. Proceedings of the Sustainable Innovation 2014 Conference, Copenhagen, 3-4 November (pp. 237-244).

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Oehlmann, J., Singh, J. and Mont, O. (2020). Multi-stakeholder perspectives on scaling up UK fashion upcycling businesses. Fashion Practice, 1-20. 

Sung, K. Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2019). Developing Interventions for Scaling Up UK Upcycling. Energies, 12(14), 1-31.

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2019). Factors Influencing Upcycling for UK Makers. Sustainability, 11(3), 1-26.

Singh, J., Sung, K., Cooper, T., West, K. and Mont, O. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for scaling up upcycling businesses - The case of textile and wood upcycling businesses in the UK. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 150, 104439.  

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Kettley, S. (2018). Emerging Social Movements for Sustainability: Understanding and Scaling Up Upcycling in the UK. In: Brinkmann R., Garren S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 299-312.

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2017). Individual upcycling in the UK: Insights for scaling up towards sustainable development. in W. Filho (Ed), Sustainable Development Research at Universities in the United Kingdom, Cham: Springer, 193-227.

Sung, K., and Cooper, T. (2015). Sarah Turner–Eco-artist and designer through craft-based upcycling. Craft Research, 6(1), 113-122.

• Product design and new product development
• Sustainable art, design and craft
• Sustainable production, businesses and supply chains
• Sustainable behaviour, consumption and lifestyles 
• Upcycling and circular economy 
• Systems thinking and innovation 
• Product-service systems and service innovation
• Design education 

• Product Design
• Sustainable Design
• New Product Development 

• PhD in sustainable design at Nottingham Trent University, UK (thesis titled Sustainable production and consumption by upcycling: Understanding and scaling up niche environmentally significant behaviour)
• Fellow in Higher Education Academy (AdvanceHE)
• PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education at De Montfort University, UK
• MSc in Strategic Product Design at Delft University of Technology, Netherlands (dissertation titled Needs Assessment of South Sudanese Base of the Pyramid Customers on Health, Water and Sanitation)
• BSc in Industrial Design at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea 

• Product Design (BA, BSc, MA)

• Design Research Society (03/05/2015 – present) Member
• The Design Society (25/03/2016 – present) Member
• British Academy of Management (07/12/2016 – present) Member 

Sung, K. and Yoon, J. (2018) Embedding sustainability in design education: A case of design project on systemic changes for sustainable businesses based on upcycling. Symposium on Expanding Communities of Sustainable Practice, Leeds, 16 November.

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Oehlmann, J. and Singh, J. (2018) Scaling up British fashion upcycling businesses: Multi-stakeholder perspectives. Global Fashion Conference 2018, London, 31 October - 1 November. 

Sung, K. and Rowan, N. (2018) CAD education curricula in product design: The case of De Montfort University, UK.  CAD'18: 15th annual international CAD conference, Paris, 9-11 July. 

Sung, K. (2018) Developing appropriate interventions for scaling up niche sustainable consumer behaviour: The case of upcycling in the UK. Regulatory Frameworks for Sustainable Consumption Conference, Hull, 25 May. 

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Ramanathan, U. and Singh, J. (2017). Challenges and support for scaling up upcycling businesses in the UK: Insights from small-business entrepreneurs. Product Lifetimes And The Environment (PLATE) 2017 Conference, Delft, 8-10 November. 

Sung, K., Cooper, T., Painter-Morland, M., Oxborrow, L., Ramanathan, U. and Singh, J. (2017). Multi-stakeholder perspectives on the challenges and success factors for scaling up upcycling businesses in fashion industry in the UK. 18th European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production, Skiathos Island, 1-5 October

Sung, K., and Cooper, T. (2017). Upcycling as the circular economy in practice. Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption, Brighton, 27-29 June. 

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2016). An alternative approach to influencing behaviour: Adapting Darton’s Nine Principles framework for scaling up individual upcycling. DRS2016: Design + Research + Society – Future-Focused Thinking, Brighton, 27-30 June

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2016). Action across multiple levels for scaling up sustainable behaviour: The case of individual upcycling in the UK. 1st Conference on Management and Environmental Sustainability, Leicester, 20 May

Sung, K. Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2016). Individual upcycling in the UK: Insights for scaling up towards sustainable development. Symposium on Sustainable Development Research at Universities in the United Kingdom, Manchester, 5-6 April 

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2015). An exploratory study on the links between individual upcycling, product attachment, and product longevity. Product Lifetimes And The Environment (PLATE) 2015 Conference, Nottingham, 17-19 June

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2015). An Exploratory Study on the Consequences of Individual Upcycling: Is It Worth Making People Feel Attached to Their Upcycled Products? Nottingham Trent University CADBE Doctoral Conference 2015, Nottingham, 8-9 June (selected as the best paper)

Sung, K. (2015). A review on upcycling: Current body of literature, knowledge gaps and a way forward. 17th International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, Venice, 13-14 April

Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2014). Individual upcycling practice: Exploring the possible determinants of upcycling based on a literature review. Sustainable Innovation 2014 Conference, Copenhagen, 3-4 November 

Nada Ebrahim, 1st supervisor 

2017-2018: "Challenges and success factors for scaling up upcycling-based SMEs in the UK" funded by Materials Research Seed-Corn fund from the PVC for research (Yvonne Barnett) at NTU

2013-2018: PhD and post-doctoral research, "Sustainable production and consumption by upcycling", at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products funded by EPSRC (EP/N022645/1)

2018: "Challenges and success factors for scaling up upcycling-based SMEs in the UK" (collaborating with Nottingham Trent University and Lund University) and "Case study on Seoul Upcycling Plaza" funded by VC2020 fund from Associate Dean for Research and Innovation (Deborah Cartmell) in ADH

Sung, K., Hyun, S., and Lee, C. (2010). Earset. US7684560 B2; CN101060722A; CN101060722B; EP1848242A2; US20080013714 

Sung, K., Hyun, S., and Lee, C. (2008). Cellular phone. USD560193 S1

Sung, K., Hyun, S., and Lee, C. (2007). Portable phone. USD555134 S1

Sung, K., Hyun, S., and Lee, C. (2007). Selective type headset. US20070230735 A1 

2020-2021: Early Career academic representative on the Faculty Research and Innovation Committee 

2020: Reviewer for Journal of Design Research, Waste Management, MDPI Sustainability, and Designing Interactive Systems 2020

2019: Reviewer for the Journal of Design Research, MDPI Sustainability, and Journal of Open Innovation

2018: Reviewer for the Journal of MDPI Applied Sciences, Sustainability, and International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 

2017: Reviewer for the Journal of MDPI Recycling

2016: Reviewer for the Journal of Industrial Ecology

2020: International Upcycling Symposium 2020 - Research and Practice (online) co-organised with Lund University, Nottingham Trent University and Newcastle University (Programme)

2020: Invited talk, "Present and future UK design education in the time of COVID-19" in 2020 KSDS  Spring International Conference, South Korea (online) 

2020: Guest seminar, "Understanding and scaling up upcycling for transition towards a circular economy" for postgraduate students in Industrial Design at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 

2018: Being Human 2018 Festival event, Art with Upcycling, in New Walk Museum & Art Gallery (family art and craft co-creation workshop) with Michelle Reader (using narrated animation on Art with Upcycling: Origins and endings)  

2018: Joint research workshop on "Scaling up SMEs utilising reuse/upcycling" at Nottingham Trent University 

2018: Invited talk, "Developing appropriate interventions for scaling up niche sustainable consumer behaviour: The case of upcycling in the UK" for Regulatory Frameworks for Sustainable Consumption conference in the Faculty of Business, Law and Politics, University of Hull 

2018: "Sustainable design and product development with circular economy and upcycling" design workshop for 2nd year design students in Industrial Design Department, School of Engineering, University of Liverpool 

Guest editing the Special Issue of Sustainability “Sustainable Consumption and Production by Upcycling: Advances in Science and Practices” https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/Sustainable_Consumption_Production_Upcycling