Research Fellows

Ajeet is a PhD student in the Department of Design, working under the guidance of Prof. Pramod Khadilkar. He has a background in Applied Psychology, with a specialisation in research methods. Prior to commencing his doctoral studies, Ajeet worked as Project Staff on a DST-funded science popularisation project at Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi. His primary research interest centers on modelling decision-making behaviour, alongside the use of computational models and Large Language Models (LLMs) to predict cognitive errors and design targeted interventions.

Mail ID- ajeet@design.iitd.ac.in

Gaurav is a PhD Scholar in the Behaviour-informed Design for Development (BiD4D) Lab at the Department of Design, IIT Delhi, under the guidance of Professor Pramod Khadilkar. His research lies at the intersection of behavioural design and interaction design, exploring how behaviour-informed approaches can create meaningful user experiences and drive positive social impact. His work investigates the cognitive and behavioural principles that inform the design of resilient, adaptive, and networked interactive systems. Drawing from his experience as an interaction designer and design thinking coach, he develops frameworks that help designers create tangible interactive products capable of responding effectively to complex human behaviours and changing contexts.

Mail ID- ddz238031@iitd.ac.in 

Prashanthi Jothi is a PhD student in the Department of Design at IIT Delhi, and is co-supervised by Prof Srinivasan Venkataraman. With a background in industrial design, her research explores the intersection of spatial design, ergonomics, and human behaviour in high-stress, constrained environments, using naval warships as a case study to develop transferable habitability frameworks. Her work examines how spatial and artefact constraints influence movement, privacy, wellbeing, and performance during extended deployments. Through onboard fieldwork, activity mapping, ergonomic analysis, and co-design with naval stakeholders, she develops evidence-based spatial guidelines and modular design solutions that improve habitability while contributing to systematic design standards for operational environments.

Mail ID- ddz268171@design.iitd.ac.in

Shailendra is a PhD aspirant in the Department of Design at IIT Delhi under the mentorship of Professor Pramod Khadilkar. Alongside his research, he works as an Interior Designer at Maruti Suzuki India Limited and has previously interned at Renault India Limited and Pininfarina, Torino. His research explores design cognition in automotive interior design, examining how designers think, make decisions, and sustain creativity in high-pressure environments. Focusing on the interplay between human cognition, digital tools, and AI, he investigates the factors that shape creativity, decision-making, and the state of flow to better understand cognitive processes in design.

Mail ID- ddz238041@iitd.ac.in 

Sumanjeel Kumar Kujur is a PhD Scholar in the Department of Design at IIT Delhi. His research focuses on advancing behaviour-centred climate resilience by integrating behavioural design, policy research, and empirical modelling into climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. His work employs interdisciplinary frameworks and building efficiency modelling to evaluate behavioural adaptation mechanisms, policy coherence, and socio-cognitive responses to climate change. By identifying systemic barriers and bridging adaptation with mitigation, he develops scientifically robust, data-informed models that support scalable and sustainable climate action.

Mail ID- ddz228649@design.iitd.ac.in 

Swagatam Dey is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Design, IIT Delhi, and holds a Master of Design degree from NIFT Mumbai. His doctoral research focuses on developing a framework to support the design of proactive decision-making aids for clinicians working in complex clinical environments, in collaboration with the Department of Emergency Medicine, AIIMS Delhi. His interdisciplinary research lies at the intersection of behavioural design, cognitive ergonomics, sociotechnical (ST) systems, healthcare ergonomics, and psychophysiology. Through this work, he explores how design can improve clinical decision-making and support safer, more effective healthcare systems.

Mail ID- swagatam.dey@design.iitd.ac.in

Vishwas Morghare's research investigates the gap between two-wheeler designs envisioned by designers and those embraced by consumers. Co-supervised by Prof. Gourab Kar, the study draws on psychology, marketing, and consumer behaviour to examine design case studies and engage with designers and riders to understand the factors that influence product adoption. By integrating consumer insights into the design process, the research aims to support more informed, evidence-based design decisions from the outset. It positions consumer understanding as a strategic foresight tool, enabling designers to anticipate user preferences and create products that are both meaningful and widely adopted. 

Mail ID- ddz238515@design.iitd.ac.in

Abhishek Dwivedi is a research aspirant at the Behaviour-informed Design for Development (BiD4D) Lab, Department of Design, IIT Delhi. With a background in strategic design, his research explores how behavioural design can strengthen dignity, agency, and wellbeing within informal and traditional livelihood systems through inclusive, human-centred approaches. His work examines the lived experiences of informal workers, moving beyond economic measures to understand dignity, autonomy, and social participation. By combining field research with co-design methods, he develops behavioural frameworks that support equitable, resilient, and future-ready livelihood systems while giving greater voice to marginalized communities.

Mail ID- ddz258268@design.iitd.ac.in