Samira ShiriDevich

Samira ShiriDevich is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design in the Department of Art & Art History at the University of Florida. She focuses on participatory and community-engaged design to address equity and agency through design. Her work emphasizes collaborative processes with marginalized communities, such as Project YouthBuild (PYB) in Gainesville, to enhance visibility and storytelling. She holds an MFA from the University of Florida and an MA from the University of Art in Tehran.

Education:

• MFA in Design and Visual Communications, University of Florida
• MA in Design and Visual Communications, University of Art, Tehran

Research Interests: Exploring design as a tool for social equity, participatory design methodologies, and the intersection of community knowledge and visual communication. Her projects integrate co-design processes to empower stakeholders, such as her work on sea-level rise visualization with the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies (NSF grant).

Scientific Awards:

• Harold Garde Studio Art Scholarship (University of Florida)

Advising & Grants: Collaborated on an NSF grant proposal for sea-level rise research, led design initiatives with PYB, and taught graphic design at multiple institutions. Her professional experience includes roles as an art director in Iran and design agency work.

Labs/Teams: Engaged with the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies and Project YouthBuild, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between academia and local communities.