Ilā is a British artist, producer and vocalist. When you are approached by an agent stating, "Would you like to speak with an artist who operates at the intersection of quantum computer music, AI and the human voice, well, you kind of say yes straight away!

I spend a lot of time researching my guests. If someone is good enough to give up their time to be a guest on the podcast, then the very least I can do as the host is spend some time getting to know them a little before we actually meet. I have to admit to being intrigued by Ilā's background. The education that could so easily have led to an academic career has instead led to a career in which creativity takes precedence, barriers are explored, and walls are knocked down.

There is no doubt that music is the major influence in their professional life. But in talking with Ilā, it became clear that there are no categories, sectors, or topics that are off-limits; curiosity feeds their professional development, and there is definitely an element of, say, "yes" and work out the details later.

In this podcast, we cover education, music, and creativity, their importance in a technologically driven world, and the importance of helping instruct young people on how to use AI responsibly as an assistant to learning.

Towards the end, we discuss Ilā's contribution to the BBC Bitesize guide to AI for young people, which is both timely and comprehensive. At a time when education's response to AI and its use by students ranges from "You won't be using that here" to "We welcome students to use AI so long as they reference where and how it has been used, this feels like a very timely conversation.

I loved our hour in conversation, and I believe you will too. So get those ear buds in and enjoy Designed for Life, in conversation with Ilā Kamalagharan.

BBC Bitesize guides to AI can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/cgk3rj0kl55t

Thanks to Arachne.digital for their continued sponsorship of the podcast, which allows us to bring these conversations to you. Contact Arachne https://www.arachne.digital/ or us for a free evaluation of your school’s cybersecurity.

Leia Milburn is an industrial designer working at Tone Product Design in London. Leia was born in London but grew up in Hong Kong and Singapore. Her father is a D&T teacher and trained as a furniture designer, so she was raised around strong design influences, but has developed her own unique identity as a designer through her degree at Loughborough University and subsequent work at Tone.

In this podcast, we follow Leia's journey from her school education and parental influences to where she is today, what is important to her as a young designer, the comparative isolation of being a woman in a still-male-dominated sector, and what she is proactively doing about it.

It's a flowing and very informative conversation that I feel has much to offer everyone listening, from students, through teachers, to professionals.

So give yourself 50 minutes, put those earbuds in, and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with industrial designer Leia Milburn.

Leia's LinkedIn profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leia-milburn

Leia's design Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/design.byleia

And if you want to learn more or get involved in the female designer community (Revision), then follow the links below:

REVISION LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revision-design/

REVISION Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revision.bydesign

Thanks to Arachne.digital for their continued sponsorship of the podcast, which allows us to bring these conversations to you. Contact Arachne https://www.arachne.digital/ or us for a free evaluation of your school’s cybersecurity.

The countdown is on – the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition closes on 1st February 2026!

This podcast takes on a different format as we talk to Jessie Soohyun Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Samsung Electronics UK, about the Solve for Tomorrow initiative, why a multi-national company such as Samsung believes this work is so important, and how design and technology education naturally fits the knowledge base, skillsets and design curiosity required for the competition.

Bring this challenge into your design and technology classroom and give students aged 11-18 the chance to tackle real-world problems, think creatively, and see their ideas make a difference. @SamsungElectronicsUK have ready-to-use resources, expert mentoring and the Imagination Lab to guide every step.

Students could be designing and prototyping tech-for-good solutions, building confidence and future-ready skills. At the same time, your school could win Samsung technology, mentoring, work experience opportunities, and even national recognition, with your students seeing their work splashed large on Piccadilly Circus.

Short on time? Your students’ NEA or STEM Club coursework may be eligible for submission. We’re proud to be supporting this flagship education programme. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day! Enter before the 1st February 2026 to make sure your students don’t miss out 🔗 www.SolveforTomorrowUK.com

Huge thanks to Archne.digital for their help and continued support, which enables us to continue to bring these conversations to you. Reach out to them today to arrange a free audit of your school’s cybersecurity.