Smija K. G, Assistant Professor in the Master of Design Department at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kannur. Design educator, researcher and a multidisciplinary visual artist , Fifteen years of academic and professional experience spanning fine arts, architecture, design education, visual culture, and interdisciplinary creative practice. She holds a Master of Visual Arts from Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Applied Arts) from the Government College of Fine Arts, Thrissur, and a Diploma in Multimedia and Animation. Her teaching integrates art, design research, visual communication, space design, and creative pedagogy, with expertise in Visual Culture, Art and Design Aesthetics, Semiotics, Design Research, Visualization, Sustainable Design, Design Thinking, and interdisciplinary studio practice.
Her research explores the intersections of visual culture, artificial intelligence, cultural memory, sustainability, craft traditions, and contemporary design practice. She contributes to curriculum development in Game Design, Design Ethics, Visual Thinking, and Interactive Design, and guides postgraduate research in practice-based design methodologies. Her recent work includes research on AI-assisted design workflows, algorithmic memory, and human–AI collaboration. She has co-authored conference papers on Generative Artificial Intelligence, visual culture, and design research. She participated in the Kochi-Muziris Biennale through the installation Muddy Mapping Memories in the Year 2018. Performing the Periphery, an international art research project led by the University of Exeter, UK, in collaboration with NIAS, Bengaluru. Her work has also been exhibited through numerous national and international exhibitions, public art projects, artist residencies, and creative workshops.
Beyond teaching and research, she actively mentors postgraduate students, mentored the students to participate KMB international show 2025, coordinated institutional initiatives in sustainability and community engagement, and curated creative outreach programmes. Her broader interests include exhibition curation, public art, craft documentation, visual storytelling, cultural heritage, space curation, and design-led social innovation, fostering meaningful connections between contemporary art, research, industry, and society.