In a world that is transforming faster than ever before, where the job market evolves daily and the demands on learners become more complex, educators like Sunand Bhattacharya emerge as visionary torchbearers of change. A learning architect in the truest sense, Bhattacharya is not merely teaching — he is reimagining how learning itself should function in the 21st century.
With over three decades of dedication to design-based teaching and learning, Sunand Bhattacharya has carved a global niche as a strategic leader, academic innovator, and design evangelist. Currently serving as the Associate Vice Provost for Design and Innovation Strategies at Boston College, and as a lecturer and advisor at Franklin Olin College of Engineering, he continues to leave an indelible mark on academic landscapes.
A Journey Rooted in Design and Purpose
Sunand Bhattacharya’s academic roots lie deep in the fertile ground of design thinking. An alumnus of the prestigious National Institute of Design (NID), India, and a graduate in Industrial Design and Human Factors from The Ohio State University, his trajectory has been guided by a consistent goal — to improve how people learn, create, and innovate.
His commitment to design-based education is more than a professional mission — it’s a personal calling. At every step, he’s championed the integration of creativity, critical thinking, and digital fluency, developing ecosystems that empower students not just to consume knowledge, but to actively build the future.
From Autodesk to Academia: A Vision for the Future of Learning
Before joining Boston College, Sunand Bhattacharya held the role of Global Learning Strategist at Autodesk, a global software giant known for its design and engineering solutions. There, he led the Learning Futures team, a role that perfectly married his design sensibilities with strategic foresight. His team was instrumental in bringing emerging cloud-based design technologies into the academic sphere, empowering educators and students alike through thought leadership, research, and innovative fellowship programs.
At Autodesk, Sunand Bhattacharya didn’t just create strategies; he evangelized a new paradigm of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) learning. He catalyzed a movement that bridged the gap between education and industry, aligning academic practices with real-world innovation.
Designing Impactful Learning Environments
Sunand Bhattacharya’s philosophy is clear: learning should be as dynamic as the world it prepares us for. At Boston College, he now leads efforts to foster a future-forward culture of collaborative research and innovation through design-driven methodologies. His office oversees diverse initiatives — from managing campus-wide design thinking projects to crafting new curricula that break away from traditional silos and inspire holistic, interdisciplinary thinking.
Bhattacharya’s work embodies the core principle of “learning by making.” Whether it’s a prototype, a concept map, or a new curriculum, he believes students learn best when they are creators. His leadership has helped Boston College embrace “making” not just as a tool, but as a pedagogical philosophy — a way to democratize innovation, creativity, and experimentation.
Building Communities of Creative Learners
Sunand Bhattacharya’s impact isn’t confined to individual institutions. He has co-founded Arjuna Learning Designs LLC, a firm that focuses on developing interactive learning objects and high-quality educational content. Working with leading publishers, the company brought meaningful change to how educational materials are conceptualized and consumed, enhancing the quality of teaching across platforms and disciplines.
As a tenured professor and former department head of industrial design at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Bhattacharya combined administrative leadership with heartfelt mentorship. His contributions were recognized globally when he received the Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology award from the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning — a tribute to his unwavering commitment to excellence.
A Learning Architect for a Changing World
Sunand Bhattacharya defines himself not by titles but by purpose. He often describes his role as a learning architect, and rightly so. Like an architect who blends aesthetics with structure, Sunand Bhattacharya weaves together creativity, technology, and educational frameworks to build scalable, transformative learning ecosystems. His work prepares learners for careers — and challenges — that do not yet exist.
“My passion lies in creating a positive impact on the future of making and learning,” he shares. This is more than rhetoric — it’s a lived ethos. Whether working with global firms like Autodesk or mentoring students at Franklin Olin College, Sunand Bhattacharya sees every engagement as an opportunity to rethink, redesign, and reimagine the way we learn.
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