“Dipali is a thoughtful, curious, and effective design researcher. The level of care she exhibits in her work galvanizes those around her, as she effectively balances her responsibilities as a researcher with her responsibilities as a team member and collaborator. I had the pleasure of managing Dipali for a year and a half — during which time she seamlessly developed familiarity and expertise in multiple domains, modeled maturity and effectiveness to those around her, and earned a solid reputation across our design organization and with cross-functional partners. In short, she is a shinnying example of a great researcher, in word and deed!”

Sean Warsaw
Senior Design Manager, IBM

“I genuinely couldn't recommend Dipali more highly. She's a true partner in the design process, brings a wealth of experience both in strategy and visual design, pays meticulous attention to detail, but also works quickly and knows how to deliver on time. She takes immense pride in the quality of her work and embraces feedback wholeheartedly. I've worked with her on multiple projects for my company, and she has fundamentally shifted the perception of our brand for good.”

Ali Maggioncalda
CEO and Founder, Lovewick

“Dipali is a rare balance of creative and pragmatic — she cares deeply about the aesthetics, just as much as she values functionality. I had the pleasure of working with her on the same team at Everlaw. Dipali has a strong attention to detail - whether she was designing a simple pitch deck or new components for our website, she made sure that our brand language came through in nuanced and scalable ways. A genuine collaborator, Dipali leverages her ability to empathize with stakeholders to co-create the deliverables she designs, from concept to production. Dipali would be an incredibly valuable asset on any team.”

Sumitra Naganathan
Technology Marketing Leader, Google

“Dipali is extremely bright and possesses that rare and valuable combination of creative problem solving and compelling story telling. During the course of her tenure with WestRock, Dipali exceeded my expectations by inventing a new packaging design, and designing a prototype that was later developed into a cast tool for market trials. Dipali is a quick study and routinely demonstrated an ability to pick up new skills. By the end of her tenure on my team, she had become a genuine contributor of meaningful ideas to projects. She was also able to seamlessly weave herself into the fabric of our design team culture. As a department lead, cultural fit is a big deal and everyone on the team genuinely enjoyed working with Dipali.”

Brad Walling
Sr. Director, New Product Commercialization

“I have known Dipali for 3 years, and I can state without reservation that she is a rare and exceptional student, and a true joy to teach. Dipali’s creative talent, dedication to excellence, and enduring self-motivation have been a valued influence on our entire program. Dipali has demonstrated a willingness to push herself beyond the already demanding curricular requirements, and to seek out opportunities that challenge her to grow beyond her ‘comfort zone’, developing both her communication and leadership skills. She greatly exceeds her peers in her ability to gracefully face adverse circumstances. Moreover, Dipali applies her strength of intellect and understanding of interpersonal dynamics in order to pull together a diverse team that is able to focus on respectful and positive outcomes. She is an ‘eyes-open optimist’ who recognizes the value and necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration, and has the experience and maturity to anticipate and embrace the challenges that such work includes.”

Bryan W. Laffitte
Distinguished Professor, NCSU College of Design, Industrial & Graphic Design Department