Priyanka Bista
Priyanka Bista is a Nepali Canadian multispecies designer, educator, and scholar working at the intersection of biodiversity conservation and public interest design.
Over the past decade, a continuous exchange between international work and academic research has marked Priyanka's nontraditional trajectory. In particular, the last six years have been a defining period as she co-founded and led a nonprofit studio in the Eastern Region of Nepal. The project, called "Vertical University," harnesses the learning potential inherent in the vertical gradient of Nepal, starting at a 67-meter elevation in Koshi Tappu to Mount Kanchenjunga (the third tallest peak in the world) at 8,586 meters. Her work has won numerous awards and accolades, including being featured in the Design for Common Good International Exhibit (2022), What Design Can Do Climate Action Challenge (2019), the Energy Globe Award (2017), SEED Public Interest Design Award (2017), UIAA Mountain Protection Award (2015), and was a finalist for the Buckminster Fuller Challenge (2017).
Currently, she is serving as the 2022-24 Joseph F. Thomas Visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon University where she will be researching and teaching courses around the Vertical University project. Previously, in 2019, she was selected as the Visiting Faculty Fellow for the Design for Spatial Justice Initiative at the University of Oregon. Before working in Nepal, Priyanka has previously held the position of Senior Architect and Planner at Collaborative Media Advocacy Platform (CMAP), Nigeria, where she worked with the youth from informal settlements of Port Harcourt on the "Human City Project."
She possesses a Master's in Architecture (M.Arch), an M.A. in International Architectural Regeneration and Development (IARD), and a Bachelor's in Architectural Science (B.Arch.Sci). Currently, she’s working towards a Doctorate in Design (DDes) at the University of Calgary.
Contact:
priyanka@belt-project.org