austeja platukyte is a material‑design researcher and educator working at the nexus of design, science, technology and craft. a doctoral candidate in design at vilnius academy of arts (VAA), she lectures on biomaterial design while investigating hybrid living materials. as founder of SEAWEED FOAM, she developed an algae‑based bio‑foam for home‑compostable packaging, advancing Lithuania’s circular‑economy agenda. a pioneer of material design and zero‑waste philosophy in lithuania, she established the biomaterials library—the baltic region’s first sustainable‑materials collection—and leads the NGO medžiagotyra to promote zero‑waste principles.  her symbiomimicry‑driven practice produces symbiotic objects showcased at milan design week, dutch design week, and MaterialDistrict utrecht. she has presented research at cumulus detroit, IEEE ICTE, MaterialDistrict utrecht, and the EUSBSR Forum, and published peer‑reviewed work in cumulus detroit  2022: design for adaptation and (BUILDING) NEW PERSPECTIVES 2023 proceedings. a multi‑year lithuanian council for culture scholarship recipient and green concept award nominee, platukytė collaborates with academia and industry to accelerate sustainable innovation

 

austeja is available for freelance projects, collaborations, workshops, and public lectures in the field of material research and design. feel free to contact her with any questions you may have

 

EDUCATION

2018 - present | vilnius academy of arts | ph.d. of design

2016 - 2018 | vilnius academy of arts | master of design

2012 - 2016 | vilnius academy of arts | bachelor of design

2003 - 2011 | national m. k. ciurlionis school of art | design

 

EXPERIENCE

04 2024 - present | KTU design centre | junior researcher

10 2023 - present | vilnius academy of arts | biomaterials design lecturer

04 2023 - present | seaweed foam | founder & owner

05 2022 - present | biomaterials library | founder & material scout

05 2017 - present | creative researcher and materials designer

06 2021 - 04 2023 | vilnius academy of arts | entrepreneur

09 2022 - 01 2023 | vilnius academy of arts | biomaterials design lecturer

09 2021 - 01 2022 | vilnius academy of arts | biomaterials design lecturer

04 2021 - 07 2021 | KTU design centre | junior researcher

09 2020 - 01 2021 | vilnius academy of arts | design lecturer

06 2019 - 10 2020 | eko namai | materials and design researcher

04 2019 - 05 2019 | gengdan institute of beijing university of technology | visiting design lecturer

10 2017 - 01 2018 | vilnius academy of arts | design lecturer

08 2017 - 01 2018 | DO architects | product designer

07 2015 - 08 2015 | DO architects | design intern

 

RESIDENCIES

06 2024 | klaipeda cultural communication center KKKC, klaipeda, lithuania

07 2021 - 08 2021 | TUO TUO, joutsa, finland

09 2020 - 10 2020 | montemero art residency, san juan de los terreros, almeria, spain

09 2018 - 12 2018 | softLab residency and scholarship program at sliperiet umeå university, umeå, sweden

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PROJECTS

project manager - applied arts 2024-1: creative biomaterials design workshop

project manager - applied arts 2023-1: biomaterials library

project manager - cultural and creative industries: cultural startups 2023-1: "publicization, introduction to market and popularization of biodegradable packaging made from algae-based material in lithuania and abroad"

researcher-entrepreneur: "encouraging the activity of competence centers: entrepreneurship program of the vilnius academy of arts. project no. 01.2.2-CPVA-K-703-04-0002", 2021 

junior researcher: "circular design tools for creating sustainable products and services - ŽIEDIS, no. 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-03-0104", 2021

participant representing the partner-institution: "nordplus Horizontal 2021, ALGAE FOR DESIGN-LED TRANSITION TOWARDS BLUE BIO-ECONOMY (NPHZ-2021/10032)", 2021 

materials and design researcher: R&D implementation measure no. J05-LVPA-K "intelligence. ioint scientific-business projects, project no. J05-LVPA-K-03-0040", 2018

 

TALKS & CONFERENCES

EU MISSION “RESTORE OUR OCEAN & WATERS BY 2030”: the baltic north sea lighthouse in action 

environmental event "INTERESTING ECOLOGY"

MATERIALDISTRICT UTRECHT 2023

international symposium: (BUILDING) NEW PERSPECTIVES through practice-led research in art, design and architecture hosted by the Institute of contemporary art, design and architecture (LMDA) - design for symbiocene. hybrid materials and symbiotic objects - in between the grown and made

design for adaptation: CUMULUS DETROIT 2022 conference on paper session: design for symbiocene. hybrid materials and symbiotic objects - in between the grown and made

vilnius academy of arts - phd of art?! vitamins for PHD and DA for artists, designers and architects

e. geppert academy of art and design - research methods in visual art symposium

lithuanian young scientists union (LJMS) - climate talks: green buildings 

the FACHPACK 2021 forum PACKBOX - new directions in sustainable packaging design

the XVIIIth discussion forum waste management 2021

2021 IEEE ICTE leading digital transformation in business and society

the XIVth discussion forum waste management 2017​