Julia is a Professor of Contemporary Design Practices at Aalto University and the founder of the Department of Seaweed, a transdisciplinary community of practice investigating the potential of macro algae as a design material. She uses her artistic practice as research through design to explore the ethical and material value systems underlying our relationship with flora and fauna. Lohmann is developing empathic, collaborative and co-speculative approaches to design. She promotes more-than-human-centric, regenerative practices benefitting socio-ecological systems.

On this subject she co-curated the exhibition Critical Tide at the Design Museum Helsinki in 2019, focussing on the ocean. In Aalto ARTS, Lohmann teaches the MA courses Critical Design Practices and co-teaches Materials and Living Systems together with Anna van der Lei. Together with Professor Lucy Davies and Sanni Saarimäki she is also teaching TAI-E3161 – Field Ecology Intensive. Lohmann’s research interests include regenerative design, biomaterials, transdisciplinary communities of practice and museums as co-speculative places of design. She is a researcher in the Academy of Finland funded Biocolour research project on natural dyes, a creative practitioner in the EU Horizon 2020 funded CreaTures research on how creative practices can help achieve the SDG goals and a researcher in the Nordplus funded Nordark research project that investigates non-human needs in relation to after-dark outdoor lighting in Nordic countries.