Student Details

Akanksha is a PhD Scholar currently working on Designing Empathy tools for age-friendly cities with her supervisors Dr. Purba Joshi (IDC, IIT Bombay), Dr. Daphne Flynn and Dr. Ilya Fridman (MADA, Monash University). Hailing from Lucknow, the 'City of Nawabs', her cultural upbringing has instilled in her the values of empathy, respect, and humility. Her journey in design began during her bachelor's years at NIFT, where she developed her design intuitions. A participatory research project on the traditional Indian handicraft of 'Bone Carving' from Lucknow proved to be a turning point, exposing her to the city's rich history and culture while also highlighting the harsh realities faced by artisans. Driven by a curiosity to understand human behavior, Akanksha pursued a master's degree in design from IIT Hyderabad. Her thesis project explored social well-being through an interactive space called Spindlescape – a relaxing break room that she designed and developed to promote unique interactions and experiences. Subsequently, she undertook an Innovation and Research fellowship at IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay, further solidifying her interest in research and academia. This position allowed her to bridge the gap between academia and industry, contributing to the development of online design courses. With a hands-on approach to design thinking, Akanksha thrives in studio environments, where she can often be found tinkering and building objects.