Astha Thakkar
Foundation studies professor
Education
- M.Des., graphic design, University of Illinois Chicago
- B.A., communication, University of Delhi
Credentials
Academic experience
- Professor of foundation studies, Fall 2023–present, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
- Assistant professor of graphic design, 2020–23, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA
- Adjunct professor of graphic design, 2019–20, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
- Adjunct professor of graphic design, 2020, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
- Teaching assistant of color theory, 2019, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
Professional experience
- Founder, 2023, Studio Brown
- Graphic design consultant, 2019–20, Parsons Corporation, Chicago, IL
- Exhibition designer, 2018–19, Southside Speculations, Chicago, IL
- Graphic design lead, 2017–18, National Science Foundation, Chicago, IL
- Graphic design intern, 2018, Gallery 400, Chicago, IL
- Lead graphic designer, 2016–17, Design Route, New Delhi, India
- Graphic designer, 2015–16, Infonauts Design, New Delhi, India
- Graphic design intern, 2013–14, Saatchi & Saatchi, London, UK
Awards, recognitions, and honors
Grants
- Royal Talens, CAA Cultural Equity Grant, 2023
- AIGA's What's Next Grant, 2019
Awards
- Winner of Portfolio Night All Star Chicago, Once Club for Creativity, New York, NY, 2019
Organizations
- AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts), 2019–present
- SECAC (formerly the Southeastern College Art Conference), 2021–present
- CAA (College Art Association), 2021–present
- UCDA (The University and College Designers Association), 2023
Publications and presentations
Conference papers
- "Designer as Literary Curator: Developing Methods of Investigation and Vocabularies of Evaluation through Design," Seventeenth International Conference on Design Principles and Practices, 2023