Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter is the Chief Innovation Officer at Gagarin, an experience design studio with 27 years experience creating immersive, engaging, interactive exhibitions. Here, Vanessa is leading the charge in creating climate change educational material, inspiring youths with hope and determination to debate and take climate actions. Using her PhD in Designing for Meaningfulness in Future Smart Products from AAU, Copenhagen, she challenges the status quo and explores how to facilitate personal and interpersonal self development.

Vanessa believes in being a catalyst for change and has launched the Nordic network, “Women in Hardware”, writes for TechTruster.dk and Greater Spaces at ING.dk and is founder and designer at Kintsugi Design, a design studio specializing in hardware, and creating robust futures. She is often featured as a keynote speaker and workshop holder for her ability to inspire, educate and provoke change for people who need it the most.