Hey, I'm Ambika!
📍 Seattle, WA
🎓 Human-Centered Design & Engineering, University of Washington
I'm someone who asks a lot of questions.
Sometimes that means interviewing users, building good relationships with my stakeholders and learning more about them and their work. Sometimes it means wondering why an interaction feels awkward, or why one tiny design decision changes how someone experiences a product.
I enjoy slowing down enough to understand people before designing for them. It's probably why I naturally gravitate toward messy problems, they're usually where the most interesting ideas are hiding.
When I'm not working, you'll probably find me playing board games, watching movies, making playlists, or saving screenshots of interfaces I'll inevitably overanalyze later.
Working on something cool? Get in touch!
Some of the communities that have shaped me
Women in Informatics Mentor
I got to mentor high school students for a UX hackathon, introducing them to HCI and helping them think through a design challenge. Watching them discover design thinking for the first time was so much fun.
Mentors across various disciplines!
Designing for Accessibility in STEM
Accessibility became much more than a design principle for me through this work. I spent over a year creating STEM teacher instruction toolkits that are now published for blind schools across India, helping educators bring more inclusive learning into their classrooms.
A shoutout from the team!
HCI4SouthAsia
I helped organize workshops and community events that brought together researchers, designers, and students across South Asia. It was a fun way to contribute to a community that's making HCI more accessible and connected in the region.
Watch the workshop here!
Panel on Sustainability on Campus
I had the opportunity to speak alongside representatives from the Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru Student Community, and fellow student leaders on a national panel about building more sustainable campuses.
Watch my discussion here!
Teach for India
I had the chance to work with students through Teach For India, turning lessons into interactive activities that encouraged them to ask questions, create, and explore.
A sneak peak from our classroom!
AIGA Workshops
I had the opportunity to design and facilitate a workshop for AIGA DEC's SHIFT{ed} Summer Summit. It was exciting to share ideas with design educators and create a space for thoughtful discussion and collaboration.
Watch the workshop here!