معرفی
Maria Rogal is a Professor in the School of Art + Art History at the University of Florida’s College of the Arts. She holds affiliations with the Center for Latin American Studies and the Center for Arts, Migration, and Entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on co-design, pluriversal paradigms, neurodivergent belonging, and Indigenous methodologies, with projects in Mexico and Florida. She advocates for socially responsible design practices through frameworks like Design for Development (D4D) and Codesigning Equitable Futures.
Education: MFA in Design (Virginia Commonwealth University), MFA in Design & Visual Communications, and earlier degrees in Political Science, History, and international development. She also holds a UX certification from Nielsen Norman Group.
Research Interests:
- Co-design methodologies
- Cultural representation and tourism economies
- Grassroots development and Indigenous knowledge systems
- Neurodivergent inclusion
Articles reflect her commitment to sustainable design, decolonizing design practices, and pluriversal frameworks. Notable works include chapters in The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design and studies on Maya visual culture.
Awards include three Fulbright Grants, a Sappi Grant, and the AIGA Design Research Grant. She has led design initiatives empowering marginalized communities and taught internationally, influencing design pedagogy through the Icograda Manifesto.
Professional Work: Former senior designer at Sapient (Atlanta), design agency experience, and jury roles (e.g., Design Incubation Awards). Active in conferences like Design Research Society and SECAC.
Labs/Teams: Founded D4D and co-founded Codesigning Equitable Futures. Collaborates globally on culturally responsive design projects.
