Jasmien Herssens

Jasmien Herssens is trained as an architect, designer, researcher, and professor, specialised in Inclusive Design. She studied architecture at the Faculty of Architecture, KULeuven in Ghent and followed a MAMA in Human Settlements. Afterwards Jasmien worked as an architect at Ante-architecten in Saint-Nicolas (Ante - Interieur en Architecten) and was invited by Wim Goes Architectuur (www.wimgoesarchitectuur.be)  to collaborate for 3 years. For several contributions the office has been nominated or won awards. In 2005 Jasmien was appointed as assistant in Universal Design at PXL University college.  In January 2007 she received, as the first university college employee and architect in Belgium, funding from IWT (Institute for Innovation and technology Flanders) for her PhD in Design for All: “Designing Architecture for More a framework of haptic design parameters with the expertise of people born blind”. She collaborated with people born blind to find design parameters for designers supporting multisensory experiences. Jasmien is member of different bodies focussing on inclusion. She is vice-president of the European Institute for Design and disability (EIDD-Design for All Europe), board member of an organisation and school for children with impairments and representative of DfA Europe at the European Disability Forum (EDF). Jasmien holds a vast position at Hasselt University but took a career break in 2019 after rehabilitation from illness. These life changing experiences convinced her even more to put inclusion at the heart of her life. Empowering people by means of an inclusive environment drives her motivation. The concept of inclusive art triggered her to work as site manager at Labiomista (www.labiomista.be) in Genk, the evolving artwork of artist Koen Vanmechelen. Driven by the belief in applied inclusive design she launched fourmind (www.fourmind.be ), a startup that facilitates inclusion and diversity by means of research, design, and innovation strategies. For her work and attitude, she received several awards.