Dr Lisa Giusti Gestri is a design researcher, innovation strategist, and academic leader specialising in human-centred design (HCD), modern methods of construction (MMC), and industry-led research and development. Currently serving as an Academic Research Assistant/Design Researcher at Monash University's Future Building Initiative Lab, she conducts research programs addressing critical challenges in the construction industry's digital and sustainable transformation.

Lisa completed her Bachelor's (Hons.) degree in Industrial Design at the Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy, where she also worked as a designer and project manager before relocating to Australia. She earned her Master's by Research and PhD (in Design) from Swinburne University of Technology in 2019, where her doctoral research developed the D-UX framework — a pioneering methodology for managing complex user ecosystems in safety-critical product design. Her research on jockey safety vests, published across multiple peer-reviewed journals, established new approaches to product standards, ergonomics, and wearable technology innovation.

Over her 20+ year professional career, Lisa has navigated successfully across academic, industry, and consulting roles, combining theoretical expertise with practical design and project management experience. At Monash, she conducts research on skills and training implications of MMC, regional construction hub frameworks, and mixed-reality technologies for workforce development. She has published several peer-reviewed outputs and contributed to award-winning research recognised by Monash's Dean's Research Team of the Year (2025).

Lisa's research agenda aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), reflecting her commitment to design research that generates measurable social and industrial impact. Her expertise encompasses design thinking, user experience design, circular economy strategies, offsite construction systems, advanced materials research, and the application of emerging technologies to real-world challenges. She is currently accepting PhD candidates interested in design innovation, construction industry transformation, and human-centred technology research.