Speaker Archana Shekara

Archana Shekara is Professor of Graphic Design, Harold Gregor Endowed Professor of Art, and Creative Director of Design Streak Studio, a social innovation lab at Illinois State University. Her research explores cultural identity, design for belonging, social justice, and community engagement. As a socio-cultural design researcher, she investigates transnational identity and decoloniality through a brown cultural lens, using ethnographic narratives to foster critical awareness. Her creative practice spans type design, participatory experiences, and interactive installations that employ emerging media to evoke multi-sensory engagement. Shekara’s work has been featured in international exhibitions, publications, and conferences, including AIGA’s One Designer, One Work. She has delivered invited lectures across India, China, and the United States, and was keynote speaker at Typography Day 2025 at IIT Mumbai. Shekara is also founder and chair of the South Asian Design Educators Alliance (SADEA), a global platform advancing South Asian design histories, pedagogies, and perspectives.