Rana Nur Ozdeslik, PhD

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Rana Nur Ozdeslik, PhD ("RNOP") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

RNOP : The ability of simplifying concepts to the level that everyone can understand them.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

RNOP : I think there is room for innovative solutions in assistive technologies and I would like to design a brace for children with cerebral palsy. In fact, I and a fellow orthopedic surgeon from University Orthopedics, Rhode Island had started to discuss possible ideas, but my other responsibilities swayed me away from this beautiful project of mine.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

RNOP : I quite like the work of Markos Kay, in which he presents complex molecular pathways in such a way that it is not just scientifically accurate, but also pleasant to look at. As I was recently preparing a cover image for my research article, I know for a fact that visual communication of science is not an easy task and I believe we need more designers like him to reach out to the public and explain the research findings in a simple and elegant way.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

RNOP : This is an interesting question for me since I am already a researcher working in life sciences.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

RNOP : I was lucky enough to be surrounded by great people who helped me to overcome obstacles. I thank my dear friend Lauren Olinski; my parents, Dr. Ayfer and Dr. Bulent Ozdeslik; my brother Furkan Ozdeslik and my husband Ali Can Sahillioglu for their care, understanding, and support.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

RNOP : I start by looking at what is already done in the field, where there is room for improvement, and if there is more than one place to improve upon, which one is the most impactful and/or urgent.