Vishal Sachdev

Vishal Sachdev is a Clinical Associate Professor of Business Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Gies College of Business. He serves as Director of the MS Analytics program, Director of Illinois MakerLab, and DPI Faculty in Residence. His academic roles span teaching, research, and leadership in educational technology and innovation.

Education:

• B.A. in Mathematics, St. Stephen's College, New Delhi (1993)
• M.S. in International Business, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (1996)
• Ph.D. in Information Systems, University of Texas at Arlington (2007)

Research Interests: Dr. Sachdev focuses on technology's role in enabling collective action, cooperative production, and gamification in education. His work explores blockchain-based DAOs, 3D printing in educational settings, and the intersection of Web3 with decentralized business models. He emphasizes scalable peer-learning environments and online/blended education frameworks.

Awards:

• Emerging Award for Excellence in Public Engagement (UIUC)
• List of Excellent Teachers (UIUC, multiple years)
• Research Excellence Award (Gies BADM, 2023)

Grants & Labs: He leads Illinois MakerLab, a pioneering academic makerspace. Notable grants include Blockchain Analytics (Gies, 2023-2025), US Competitiveness in Web3 (Solana Foundation, 2022-2024), and Autodesk grants for Fusion 360 workshops. His work bridges technology, education, and innovation through applied research.

Courses: Teaches courses like Blockchain Analytics, Database Design, and Digital Making Seminar, emphasizing hands-on, industry-relevant learning.