Ar. Apoorva Gadgil - Gijare
About
Apoorva (Gadgil) Gijare is a UX strategist, researcher, design educator, and architect with over 13 years of experience across user experience, academia, research, and professional architecture design practice.
She currently serves as Head of Careers, Industry Partnerships, and International Relationships at the MIT Academy of Engineering – School of Design, Pune.
Previously, as Head of the UX Design Department, she managed a team of 4 designers and developed an industry-aligned, human-centered UX curriculum, mentored more than 60 research and design projects, and contributed to publications and intellectual-property initiatives.
Her research focuses on: 1. Human factors and usability evaluation, 2. Cognitive ergonomics, 3. Ethnography and mixed-method research, empathy, design cognition, 4. AI-enabled learning and secure digital interactions.
She has been granted 2 Industrial Design registrations (ID) by the Patent Office, Government of India, for 'Egg packaging' design (no. 414924-001) and 'Automated Sanitary Dispenser and Disposal Unit' (No. 456683-001).
She is an Human Factors International (USA) Certified Usability Analyst, a Chartered Architect, and the recipient of the MIT Academy of Engineering’s Outstanding Achievement Award for curriculum innovation and institutional contribution for years 2025 & 2026.
Achievement & Publications
1. Gijare, A. (2025). From empathy to cognition: A behaviorally informed pedagogical framework for sustainable UX design education. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 825–837. https://doi.org/10.64252/56k9st20
2. Contributed to international HCI discourse through the HCI Across Borders workshop at CHI 2025, where her work addressed transcultural collaboration, inclusive innovation, and global solidarity in HCI.
3.Ggranted 2 Industrial Design registrations (ID) by the Patent Office, Government of India, for 'Egg packaging' design (no. 414924-001) )and 'Automated Sanitary Dispenser and Disposal Unit' (No. 456683-001).
5. Received the Outstanding Achievement Award from MIT Academy of Engineering in 2025 and 2026, for her contributions to curriculum innovation and institutional development.
6. Represented India as an official at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and has won more than 30 medals in national-level artistic gymnastics competitions.