Rhea Thomas

Rhea Thomas featured image

About

Rhea Thomas is a product designer and climate innovator passionate about tackling complex problems and creating holistic solutions that catalyse system-level change. Merging design, technology, and behavioural sciences, rooted in a human and planet-centric approach. She is entrepreneurial by nature and has ventures in the edtech and humanitarian-innovation space.

She is an advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and has been identified as a Goalkeeper by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for her contribution towards the 2030 agenda. The UNHCR recognizes her as a Young Global Champion for her work with refugees.


Selected Awards:

Calm Quilt, Semi-finalist - Mayor's entrepreneur 2022

Decibel, Winning Team - RCA Grand challenge 2022 New Economic Model for the Oceans 

Design4India Design Summit19, Nominee - The Index Project awards 2021

LearnEd, Winning Team - SwissNex NexHack Edtech hackathon 2020


Fellowships & Incubation programs:

Little Chronicles, We Innovate 2023 by Imperial Enterprise Lab London (February - April 2023)

Access to clean water in Healthcare systems, Design for Good Challenge (July 2022 - April 2023)

Climate Action TrackUnite2030 Innovation Camp 2022 New York (September 2022)

Calm Quilt, Discovery Fund by Imperial Enterprise Lab London (April - June 2022)

LearnEd, TechQuatier Impact Challenge Data Driven Sustainability 2021 Germany (March - June 2021)

LearnEd, Steelcase Open Innovation Fellowship 2021 (December 2020 - February 2021)


Publications:

2021 YOUNG Youth Delegate Communique - Future of education & work policy recommendations, by Bridging the gap ventures

India by Design: Perspectives, Trends & Practices - National design report 2019, published by The National Association of Software and Service, (NASSCOM) India


Honors:

UNHCR Young Champion Network for Refugees

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeepers 2030

Unite2030 Changemaker (Youth Delegate program 2020 | Cohort 3)


Relevant experience:

Co-Founder, LearnEd (October 2020 - September 2021)

Product Experience Designer, Design4India An Initiative by NASSCOM & Facebook (June 2018 - April 2020)


Education:

MA/MSc Global Innovation Design - Royal College of Art and Imperial College London (September 2021 - July 2023)

Exchange Partners: Keio University, Japan, and Pratt Institute, USA

B.A Industrial Product Design - MAEERs MIT Institute of Design, Pune (July 2014 - June 2018)


Statement

I’m Rhea Thomas, a transdisciplinary designer. I care deeply about leading with optimism, compassion and curiosity. These core values enable me to design ecosystems, strategies, and products that are human and planet- centric in order to reimagine a better future. I believe it is imperative for designers, innovators, and creators to consider their impact on the world.

My work is a response to the real-world problems we see in our society. Working and living across India, London, Japan, and New York has helped me connect the dots in this complex world and has given me a global perspective on the social design challenges that I address. It has also sensitized me toward local cultures and communities, enabling me to work collaboratively with them. 

During my time at GID, I have had the opportunity to work on various projects and develop new skills ranging from AR, VR, and biomaterials. The global nature of GID has given me the chance to co-create with several communities - From South Africa for access to clean water in healthcare systems to Syria for alleviating trauma in children of war and refugees and in New York to co-design an Installation with 10 -15-year-old children for the COP 28 children & youth pavilion.

As part of the RCA Showcase, I am sharing projects that I have enjoyed working on:

  • Seasprout is a biomaterial innovation that has a community driven design approach creating a circular biosystem
  • Shrimpak is a biomaterial innovation that tackles plastic pollution
  • Decibel is a nature-based solution that tackles sound pollution in the ocean
  • Aria is a wearable jewellery inspired by nature

Feel free to reach out to me to know more about my work, to collaborate on projects, or to just chat about a happier world.

Seasprout

Shrimpak

Decibel

Aria