University Affiliates

Dr. Aditi Verma is interested in how nuclear technologies specifically and complex technologies broadly—and their institutional infrastructures—can be designed in more just, equitable, creative, and participatory ways that are epistemically inclusive of both lay and expert perspectives. To this end, she is interested in developing a more fundamental understanding of the early stages of the design process to improve design practice and pedagogy, and also improve the tools with which designers of complex systems work.

In her work, Dr. Verma focuses on three main research questions:

How can a fundamental understanding of design be used to improve design practice, design tools, and engineering pedagogy?
How can design processes be made more open and participatory such that epistemic plurality and inclusivity are achieved as part of the design process?
How can insights from design research be applied to the designs of policies and institutions for the governance — both innovation and regulation — of nuclear technologies?