Innovation Studio : Ekaterina Savosina and Design in VR

Ekaterina is a Footwear Consultant at Gravity Sketch as well as an accredited Gravity Sketch Instructor, meaning she's recognised globally as a professional designer and educator, with expert knowledge of the software. She's one of just 4 instructors worldwide that currently hold this credential.

A self-starting innovator, entrepreneur, and designer with 8+ years of experience in footwear and 3+ years in VR, Ekaterina uses the latest in technology, sustainable solutions and break-through materials to create unique products that connect to consumer needs. She uses an in-depth knowledge of CAD, VR, and technical design to breathe life into ideas.

She's recognised worldwide as an expert in her field, having been interviewed on YouTube live by Gravity Sketch. She's gained further recognition by being selected for 1 of 4 International Women’s Day speakers and also named as Gravity Sketch Power User 2021.

Design in VR is an international provider of educational tutorials and classes to upskill talent in VR design.

Ekaterina founded this business as it felt like a natural progression from her Freelance work as a designer. For several years she used different tools and programmes to express her design ideas, however, designing in virtual reality helped her to bring my ideas to life.

She believes designing in VR will become an essential tool in the workflow of any designer and will be requested by big brands as a must-know skill in the near future.

As part of her residency, Ekaterina is the tutor for two of AUB's executive education courses: Introduction to Design in VR using Gravity Sketch and 3D Modelling in VR using Gravity Sketch.

She strives to provide profound knowledge with Design in VR courses and empower others to learn this amazing skill. She'd like the courses to receive recognition and accreditation at AUB and perhaps internationally in the future.

On why she decided to take up this residency with AUB specifically, Ekaterina says:

"I'm an AUB graduate and have always loved the AUB atmosphere and vibe on the campus, but most importantly for me was the amazing support of Lucy and Dan from the Innovation Team; they guided me and helped me to make this happen."

As well as AUB's VR Suite, Ekaterina hopes to benefit from the 3D printing equipment housed in AUB's Lab 4 Creative Technologies. With this technology she can take her VR designs, experiment, and turn them into physical prototypes, which is vital for her business.