Education

PhD | 2007- 2011 | TU Delft University, Faculty of Engineering | Delft, Netherlands 
MFA | 2002-2003 | Product Design (with Distinction)Domus Academy | Milan, Italy
AOCA | 1980-1983 | Industrial Design Diploma, Ontario College of Art and Design | Toronto, Canada

Biography

Dr. Roger Ball is a Professor in the School of Industrial Design at Georgia Tech. He holds a Ph.D. in Design Engineering from TU Delft, Netherlands (2011), an MFA in Product Design from Domus Academy, Milan, Italy (2003), and an Industrial Design Diploma from Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada (1983). 

Ball leads the Body Scan Lab at Georgia Tech, developing design tools for fitting the human body using the latest technologies. His research includes the SizeChina project, which created the first digital database of Chinese head and face shapes. Ball has worked with clients such as Luxottica, Microsoft, 3M, Cartier, Neurosky, and Cirque du Soleil. He has designed sports products for companies including Burton Snowboards, Fisher-Price, Cooper Canada, Itech Sports, Brine Lacrosse, Bell Helmets, and Nike. Ball has held teaching positions at Georgia Tech, Hunan University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Ontario College of Art and Design. He has authored two books: "DesignDirect – how to start your own micro brand" and "Headsets - A Design Handbook for Shape and Sound."

Statement of Teaching Interest

My teaching philosophy integrates evidence-based design, creativity, and market trends with exceptional communication to develop solutions that enhance people's quality of life in both significant and subtle ways. My teaching interests include human-first design, design for body fit, and startup culture.

Statement of Research Interest

Roger Ball serves as a Professor of Industrial Design at Georgia Tech, possessing a distinguished background that integrates design, engineering, and anthropometrics. He earned a Master of Fine Arts from Domus Academy in Milan and a Doctorate in Design Engineering from TU Delft in the Netherlands. Since 1983, Dr. Ball has been instrumental in designing iconic sports and wearable products for prominent brands such as Burton Snowboards, Fisher-Price, Brine Lacrosse, Bell Helmets, and Nike. 
His academic career encompasses teaching design studios across North America, Asia, and Europe. As a trailblazer in anthropometric research, Dr. Ball investigates human body shapes to improve the fit and comfort of wearable products. He is the founder of SizeChina, the inaugural digital 3D database of Chinese head and face shapes, which received both the Gold Medal in Research and Best in Show from the Industrial Design Society of America in 2008. His most recent initiative, SizeGlobal, extends this work to a comprehensive global database of human body shapes for application in product design. Professor Ball's research collaborations have included partnerships with Google, Amazon, Luxottica, OpenAI, Warby Parker, and Cartier.