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Rhode Island School of Design Appoints Pradeep Sharma as Dean of Architecture and Design
07/18/2012
Providence, RI - Rhode Island School of Design has announced that Pradeep
Sharma will join RISD as Dean of Architecture and Design this fall. With his extensive
experience as both a teacher and academic administrator, his strong research
background and active strategic design practice, Sharma will provide dynamic
and effective leadership for the Division of Architecture and Design. Sharma
has demonstrated his ability to help advance RISD’s strategic priorities, and
exhibits the ability to lead and collaborate with all of the departments in the
Division with his deep understanding of opportunities and challenges that face
each discipline.
Most recently, as Head of the Bath School of Art and Design at
Bath Spa University in England, Pradeep managed the School’s operations,
finances, facilities, assessment, academic program development as well as the
student experience. Despite a challenging economic climate, he was responsible
for developing new undergraduate and graduate degree programs, expanding
research activity, and building collaborative industry relationships. With the understanding that new technology is
changing the way we produce art and design objects and the built environment, he
worked to incorporate digital technologies into various disciplines at Bath, while
remaining committed to the hands-on studio learning that contributes so deeply to
a RISD education.
“Pradeep brings a keen interest in how the architecture and
design disciplines can work together with the fine arts and the liberal arts to
inform each other’s practice. His international outlook and expansive global
experience and network will open opportunities to enhance RISD’s global
strategy,” said RISD Provost Rosanne Somerson. “Pradeep’s educational and
professional background will continue to support and develop the excellence of RISD’s
academic programs while promoting new paths for exploration and innovation.”
Prior to Bath, Sharma was Head of Art and Design at the
Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Studies at the University of Glamorgan,
UK, and a research fellow and senior lecturer at Unitec Institute of Technology
in New Zealand. He has maintained a design management and consultancy practice
since 2002. He holds a BA and MA in
Electrical and Information Sciences from Cambridge University, an MA in
Industrial Design Engineering from Teesside University, and is in the final
stages of completing his Doctorate in Management at the University of
Hertfordshire.
About RISD
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has earned
an international reputation as the leading college of art and design in the
United States. Approximately 2,400 students from around the world study at
RISD, pursuing full-time bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in a choice of
19 studio majors. RISD is known for its phenomenal
faculty of artists and designers, the breadth of its specialized facilities and
its hands-on, studio-based approach to learning – one in which critical
thinking informs making works by hand. Required courses in the liberal arts
provide an essential complement to studio work, enabling graduates to become
critical and informed individuals eager to engage with the world. Through the
accomplishments of its 26,000 alumni, the college champions the vital role artists and
designers play in satisfying the global demand for innovation. Founded in 1877, RISD (pronounced “RIZ-dee”) and the RISD Museum of Art help make Providence, RI among
the most culturally active and creative cities in the region. For more
information, visit www.risd.edu or our.risd.edu.