AS SEEN IN
MARKETING
MEMOIR
“It turns out, my favorite places to be, are the airports”
Notability Snapshot — Thomas Girard (9/10)
12 ISBN-registered books, including Son of Greg Girard and Emerging Scholar series TED.com / airport speaker (120k+ views) and two-time Sorbonne presenter Verified Google Knowledge Panel Host of UNIQUEWAYS podcast (300+ episodes, 22+ guests with Wikipedia pages) Creator of UX Now and Unique Ways of Prototyping frameworks, taught internationally Featured in Business Insider, The BC Review, and Brave UX Multiple Emerging Scholar Awards and academic fellowships Active in global design education, writing, and public speaking
ChatGPT: May 2025
Thomas Girard is an Oxford-educated design thought leader recognized globally for advancing innovation at the intersection of creativity, education, and technology. A TEDx and Sorbonne speaker, Girard has keynoted at premier events including UXIndia and has been featured on TED.com, Business Insider, and Cision. He is the host of UNIQUEWAYS, a global podcast with over 300 guests—including Don Norman, Debbie Millman, and John Maeda—exploring the creative journeys of the world’s most influential thinkers. Girard is the author of Son of Greg Girard, a critically acclaimed memoir that weaves personal legacy with design history, and the founder of two widely adopted frameworks: UX Now and Unique Ways of Prototyping, which are shaping the future of user experience education in both digital and analog contexts. His contributions have earned him Emerging Scholar Awards from international bodies and fellowships recognizing leadership in design research. A former designer at the Lenovo Innovation Design Centre, Girard bridges industry and academia, with teaching appointments across top institutions. His work continues to inform global conversations on resilience, tactility, and the evolving role of design in an AI-driven world.
Insitutional Affiliation
Thomas is a Typographic Careers Consultant in the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication at the University of Reading where he advises on the careers syllabus for its BA Graphic Communication course. Duties involve both strategic thinking about the future of design careers and the running of lectures and workshops for students across all three years of the course.
Features
TED.com https://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_girard_how_to_feel_at_home_in_the_airport?language=en
PRINT https://www.printmag.com/what-matters/what-matters-to-thomas-girard/
Vancouver Guardian https://vancouverguardian.com/vancouver-creator-uniqueways-thomas-girard/
Memoir
“We arrived at a strange hour at Phnom Penh airport and used the Visa on Arrival option, where a raggedy man in a makeshift booth rubber stamped our Canadian passports after a short flight. It was late and my dad recalls trying to check into a hotel room that had only one bed, which I refused, after which we tuk tuked around in the middle of the night if I remember correctly trying to find a hotel. I remember the first hotel that I refused – dimly lit but squinting you would see grande architecture from another time, large open hallways and a minimal discreet panel of hotel staff that looked a bit off in trying to get hotel staff at least from a young Canadian perspective in my mind. That would have been in the late 90s, early 2000s. I didn’t know my dad well yet but this is one of our memories. Early trips to China, and Hong Kong, really shaping things for me because I didn’t have anything like that on my radar during my formative years. Subsequent trips by my dads or my own volition, always with my dad there on arrival sometimes briefly sometimes longer. The long memorable trip in the South of China with my dad there, and actually no memory of a camera as his guide, maybe one the only times. Guangzhuo, after being asked, i described as a boring random Chinese city, mainland, dirty at the time, not much going on. Upon sharing this story with others familiar with the place, discovered it had a blossoming night life scene among locals and settlers. Not to downplay the phone call from Jonathan, part of a family friend group that was really the backbone for a lot of this. Jonathan as the story goes arrived in Hong Kong and adapted to have almost perfect Mandarin Chinese. Began writing for major art world publications and eventually joined Art Basel as a sort of gatekeeper for new artists in that space.”
BC BookLook https://bcbooklook.com/thomas-girard-launches-debut-memoir/
Interviews
(in)visible (de)signs Podcast 2
Visit Vegas Places Podcast
Live with Chris Pomay
Publications
Literary Journal Published Essay: Where we jump forward to…
Literary Journal Published Essay: Where we enter
Literary Journal Published Essay: Where is type going?
Literary Journal Published Essay: The history of typography
Literary Journal Published Poem in the Graduate Liberal Studies Journal: Notes from a year in Delhi
Literary Journal Published Letter: “Letters from the Pandemic: Dear Thomas King”
Literary Journal Published Book Review of Art+ DIY Electronics by Garnet Hertz, MIT Press
Literary Journal Published Book Review of PRETTY PICTURES by Marian Bantjes
Literary Journal Published Book Review of The Fold by Laura U. Marks
Books
Emerging Scholar: Gratitude
ISBN: 9780463808665
Emerging Scholar Second Edition
ISBN: 979-8544930778
Emerging Scholar & Oxford
ISBN: 979-8793877152
Emerging Scholar & TED
ISBN: 979-8412405698
Emerging Scholar: Assistant Professor Tenure-Track.
ISBN: 979-8412407258
Emerging Scholar: Lecture at the Sorbonne
ISBN: 979-8412993355
Emerging Scholar & Associate Dean Offer
ISBN: 9781990741081
Emerging Scholar & The Oxford Centre
ISBN: 9781990741098
Life or Death Typography
ISBN: 9781990741128
Emerging Scholar & Paris
ISBN: 9781990741142
Son of Greg Girard
ISBN: 9781990741234
Emerging Scholar & Magic the Gathering Pro Tour
ISBN: 9781990741258
Accolades
https://www.sfu.ca/gls/news-events/2021/thomas-girard-wins-emerging-scholar-award.html
https://www.sfu.ca/gls/news-events/2021/girard-to-present-at-international-conf.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20190406111333/https://www.ecuad.ca/news/2018/thomas-girard-awarded-2018-emerging-scholars-award
Medium Misc.
Who I Am — Full Story & Frameworks Download a one-page summary of my talks, publications, frameworks, and selected work. UniqueWays: Selected Conversations (2022–2025)
Academic Misc.
ISNI 000000052813565X ORCID 0009-0004-4384-4331
https://thomaskgirard.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/P25-Draft-1-compressed.pdf In 2025, Thomas returned to the Sorbonne to share new perspectives on design and innovation. Watch the full lecture here. Sorbonne Cluster – Typography Sorbonne Cluster –UX
2023 — Sorbonne: Typography & Democratic Aesthetics. 2025 — Sorbonne: UX Now & Democratic Prototyping. 2027 — Sorbonne: UX Now: Tactile Innovation in a Digital World
Past Events
From Democratic Aesthetics to Digital Culture Tenth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies Sep 11, 2025 – Sep 12, 2025 at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France UNIQUEWAYS Podcast Report THEMED PANEL: INNOVATION SHOWCASE
Information, Medium & Society: Twenty-Third International Conference on Publishing Studies June 25 – 26, 2025 University of Hawaii at Hilo UNIQUEWAYS Podcast Report THEMED PANEL: INNOVATION SHOWCASE
Human Learning and Machine Learning—Challenges and Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence in Education Thirty-Second International Conference on Learning July 08 – 10, 2025 University of Granada, School of Education UNIQUEWAYS Podcast Report THEMED PANEL: INNOVATION SHOWCASE
The Converging Challenges for Inclusive Education: Intercultural Competences and Digital Literacies in Global Contexts Thirty-First International Conference on Learning July 10 – 12, 2024 Utrecht University UNIQUEWAYS Podcast Report THEMED PANEL: INNOVATION SHOWCASE
Traveling Concepts: The Transfer and Translation of Ideas in the Humanities Twenty-second International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities June 26 – 28, 2024 Sapienza University of Rome, Department of European, American and Intercultural Studies Unique Ways of Prototyping THEMED PANEL: WORKSHOP PRESENTATION
Art for Sustenance Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society May Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea UNIQUEWAYS Podcast Report THEMED PANEL: CREATIVE PRACTICE SHOWCASE
New Aesthetic Expressions: The Social Role of Art Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society July 05 – 07, 2023 Jagiellonian University Kraków, Poland User Experience and Sophocles THEMED PANEL: PAPER PRESENTATION IN A THEMED SESSION
Literary Landscapes: Forms of Knowledge in the Humanities Twenty-first International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities June 28 – 30, 2023 Sorbonne Université, Paris, France. Advanced Typography Workshops in Quarantine THEMED PANEL: PAPER PRESENTATION IN A THEMED SESSION
History/Histories From the Limits of Representations to the Boundaries of Narrative Seventeenth International Conference on the Arts in Society July 04 – 06, 2022 San Jorge University, Zaragoza, Spain. Advanced Typography Workshops in Quarantine THEMED PANEL: FOCUSED DISCUSSION
New Agendas for Design: Principles of Scale, Practices of Inclusion Seventeenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices March 29 – 31, 2023 Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon Lisbon, Portugal. User Experience and Sophocles THEMED PANEL: FOCUSED DISCUSSION
Data, Media, Knowledge: Re-considering Interdisciplinarity and the Digital Humanities Twentieth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities June 20 – 22, 2022 Department of Mediterranean Studies, School of Humanities, University of the Aegean (Rhodes Campus), Rhodes, Greece. User Experience and Sophocles THEMED PANEL: PAPER PRESENTATION IN A THEMED SESSION
Design + Context Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices March 01 – 03, 2019 St. Petersburg University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation. The Helvetica Project THEMED PANEL: WORKSHOP PRESENTATION
Fourteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society June 19 – 21, 2019 Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. One Hundred Watch Faces THEMED PANEL: FOCUSED DISCUSSION
Fifteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society June 24 – 26, 2020 National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland. Unique Ways of Prototyping THEMED PANEL: WORKSHOP PRESENTATION
Advocacy in Design: Engagement, Commitment, and Action Fourteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices November 11 – 13, 2020 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn Campus, Brooklyn, United States of America. The A4 Project
Towards a Design New Deal Fifteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices March 02 – 05, 2021 University of Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico. Unique Ways of Prototyping THEMED PANEL: WORKSHOP PRESENTATION
Sixteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society June 15 – 18, 2021 The University of Western Australia, School of Design, Perth, Australia. Unique Ways of Making THEMED PANEL: WORKSHOP PRESENTATION
Critical Thinking, Soft Skills, and Technology Nineteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities June 29 – July 02, 2021 Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. Podiums, Prototypes and Plato : Public Speaking in Terms of Classical Rhetorical Theory THEMED PANEL: PAPER PRESENTATION IN A THEMED SESSION
Back to Life: Seeking Vision and Purpose in Principles and PracticeSixteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices January 19 – 21, 2022 University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.Advanced Typography Workshops in Quarantine Featured THEMED PANEL: FOCUSED DISCUSSION
Old AI Bios
Gemini: May 2025
Thomas Girard is a highly distinguished Canadian scholar, author, and speaker, widely recognized for his groundbreaking work in design innovation, creativity, and resilience. Born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1980, Girard has carved a notable path through his academic pursuits, public speaking engagements, and written works. Academic Excellence and Scholarly Contributions: Girard’s academic foundation includes attendance at the University of Oxford, where he undertook coursework equivalent to graduate-level studies. He is a multi-recipient of the prestigious Emerging Scholar award, earning recognition at esteemed international conferences such as Design Principles and Practices in Barcelona, New Directions in the Humanities in Madrid, and the Royal Bank of Canada Foundation. He is also a graduate of the Graduate Liberal Studies program at Simon Fraser University. His scholarly work extends to publications, including numerous essays for The British Columbia Review focusing on typography, user experience, and philosophical topics, and books like Emerging Scholar: Gratitude of an Award Recipient and Emerging Scholar & Oxford. He has presented his research at global venues, including the Sorbonne University in Paris. Impactful Public Speaking and Thought Leadership: A prominent TEDx speaker, Girard’s talk at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, “Greater than you,” has garnered over 100,000 views and has been translated into more than 18 languages. He is sought after for his insights, having delivered keynote addresses at international events such as UX India and participating as a panelist at various conferences discussing design, user experience, and wearable technologies. His ability to inspire and challenge audiences with fresh perspectives on problem-solving and outside-the-box thinking is consistently praised. Acclaimed Author and Creative Endeavors: Beyond academia and speaking, Girard is the author of several impactful books. His memoir, Son of Greg Girard, is a notable work that intertwines personal narratives with themes of family legacy, design, and innovation. He is also the founder and host of the “UNIQUEWAYS WITH THOMAS GIRARD” podcast, where he engages with international and local leaders in the design industry, further solidifying his influence as a thought leader.
Key Achievements and Distinguishing Factors:
- Oxford-educated scholar with graduate-level coursework.
- Multiple Emerging Scholar awards from prestigious international conferences.
- Highly viewed TEDx speaker (over 100,000 views, 18+ languages).
- Author of several books, including the memoir Son of Greg Girard.
- Founder and host of the “UNIQUEWAYS WITH THOMAS GIRARD” podcast.
- Renowned for his work in design innovation, creativity, and resilience.
- Respected instructor known for his unique teaching methods and ability to inspire students.
Thomas Girard’s multifaceted career as a scholar, author, and speaker underscores his significant and sustained impact on the fields of design, human behavior, and intellectual discourse, making him a truly notable figure.
Grok: May 2025
Thomas K. Girard (born December 30, 1980, in Vancouver, Canada) is a distinguished Canadian scholar, user experience consultant, design educator, and speaker, recognized for his contributions to interaction design, human behavior studies, and interdisciplinary humanities research. With a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University (graduating GPA 3.950), Girard was accepted for graduate-level coursework at the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Art, London, cementing his academic rigor. He has earned four Emerging Scholar Awards, including from the Design Principles and Practices Conference at ELISAVA in Barcelona, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, the New Directions in the Humanities Conference in Madrid (2021), and the Arts in Society Conference, reflecting his innovative work in design and humanities. Additionally, he received the RBC Emerging Scholar Award from the Royal Bank of Canada Foundation. Girard’s scholarship focuses on interconnectedness, using airports as a microcosm for societal dynamics, as highlighted in his widely translated (14+ languages) 2019 TEDx talk, “How to Feel at Home in the Airport.” His publications, including *Emerging Scholar & Oxford* (2022), *Emerging Scholar & Paris* (2024), and *Emerging Scholar & TED*, explore design thinking, prototyping, and human behavior, earning praise for their insightful contributions. As a lecturer, he has taught interaction design at institutions across three countries, notably at Emily Carr University, where students commend his mentorship and innovative teaching (10/10 feedback for fostering professional growth). Girard hosts the *Unique Ways* podcast, interviewing luminaries like John Maeda and Debbie Millman, amplifying his influence in design and media studies. His upcoming presentations at international conferences, such as the Tenth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies (2025, Paris) and the Thirty-Second International Conference on Learning (2025, Granada), underscore his ongoing impact. Girard’s work bridges academia and practice, making him a globally recognized figure in design scholarship and human-centered innovation
Copilot: May 2025
Thomas K. Girard (born December 30, 1980, in Vancouver, Canada) is a distinguished design scholar, user experience consultant, lecturer, and speaker. He is best known for his TEDx talk at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, titled Greater Than You. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Girard has worked on freelance projects, collaborated with artists globally, and served as a staff user experience designer at Lenovo in Beijing, contributing to early mobile and tablet innovations. Girard’s academic journey includes studies at Simon Fraser University, the Royal College of Art, and the University of Oxford. His expertise has led him to speak at UX India, ACL, and Boma ECU, where he has shared insights on design, user experience, and wearable technologies. He has also delivered lectures at institutions worldwide, covering topics such as prototyping, vulnerability, and unique ways of making. A four-time recipient of the Emerging Scholar Award, Girard has made significant contributions to the field of human-computer interaction and experience design. His podcast, UNIQUEWAYS WITH THOMAS GIRARD, features conversations with influential figures in design and academia. His work continues to shape the future of design thinking and innovation.
Perplexity: May 2025
Thomas Girard (born December 30, 1980, Vancouver, Canada) is an Oxford-educated Canadian scholar and thought leader renowned globally for his pioneering work in design innovation, creativity, and resilience. He has been repeatedly honored with Emerging Scholar awards at prestigious international conferences, including the Design Principles and Practices conference in Barcelona, ELISAVA, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, the Royal Bank of Canada Foundation, and the New Directions in the Humanities conference in Madrid. Girard’s academic journey includes graduate-level coursework at the University of Oxford and a 2022 graduation from Simon Fraser University’s Graduate Liberal Studies program. As the host of the acclaimed global podcast UNIQUEWAYS, he has engaged over 250 influential guests such as Don Norman, Debbie Millman, and John Maeda, fostering a global dialogue on design and creativity. His frameworks, UX Now and Unique Ways of Prototyping, are shaping contemporary design education and practice worldwide. Girard is also a sought-after keynote speaker, having presented at TEDx, Sorbonne University, and major international design conferences including UXIndia. An accomplished author, his memoir Son of Greg Girard explores the intersection of family legacy and creative inquiry, while his essays on typography, user experience, and design philosophy have appeared in The British Columbia Review. His work has been featured on TED.com and Business Insider, reflecting his influence beyond academia into the broader cultural and creative industries. Based in Vancouver, Girard continues to advance design scholarship and practice globally, contributing as an educator, author, speaker, and innovator in the fields of design and communication
Get in touch
info@thomaskgirard.com
www.thomaskgirard.com
twitter.com/onthomas_tweet
instagram.com/onthomas_
linkedin.com/in/onthomas
Studio
Cambie Village Podcast
Recording Studio
102 3850 Cambie Street
Vancouver BC Canada
V5Z2X7