Aarti Smith Madan

Aarti Smith Madan is an Associate Professor of Spanish & International Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), based in the Department of Humanities & Arts. She directs the Buenos Aires Project Center and co-directs Latin American & Caribbean Studies. Her academic affiliations include roles in International & Global Studies and Literature. Madan holds a BA from Birmingham-Southern College (2004), an MA (2007) and PhD (2010) from the University of Pittsburgh, where she focused on Spanish and English literature.

• Education: BA (Spanish/English, 2004), MA (2007), PhD (2010), all from University of Pittsburgh

Her research explores national identity, spatial/environmental humanities, and global feminisms in Latin American and Indian cultural contexts. Notable interests include political street art from the Global South and transnational literary exchanges between Argentina and India. She has received the Romeo Moruzzi Prize (2013) for educational innovation and fellowships including the Andrew Mellon (2009) and FLAS grants (2007–2008).

• Awards: Moruzzi Prize, Mellon Fellowship, FLAS Fellowships

Madan has advised multiple interdisciplinary projects, including IQPs in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Australia. Her current research examines Argentine-Indian cultural encounters since 1926. She co-chairs WPI’s DEI Committee and advises student organizations like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Outside academia, she volunteers with the Women’s Initiative of Central Massachusetts, supporting middle-school girls’ education.