Gert Staal (1956) was educated as a linguist and art historian at the Universiteit van Amsterdam (NL). He worked as a design critic for de Volkskrant, and later joined NRC Handelsblad as a staff editor. Before establishing an independent writing and editing firm in 2000 (SENDER/editors) he spent 5 years at the Netherlands Design Institute, as deputy director. Since 1981 he has contributed to a large number of Dutch and international publications on design, was editor-in-chief of Items design magazine, and worked as an advisor to the Raad voor Cultuur, the Mondriaan Stichting and Fonds Beeldende Kunst, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst. Teaching positions include work at the Ma department of St. Joost Academie in Breda and Artez in Arnhem. He currently teaches at the Ma department of Design Academy Eindhoven.