Dr. Suresh Sethi

Professor

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Biography

Suresh Sethi is the Chair of Industrial Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 2020. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Design from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, a Master's in Lighting Design from Domus Academy in Milan, and a Bachelor's in Industrial Design from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India. Sethi joined the Illinois faculty in 2017 and has extensive global experience, having worked across America, China, Holland, Italy, India, and Singapore. His career includes a position as Vice President of Design for Whirlpool Corporation in South Asia and founding Professor at the School of Art, Design, and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. His designs emphasize building relationships between products and users and focus on the emotional and narrative aspects of product form and visualization. His recent research explores multisensory interactions and the cultural implications of artificial light, culminating in his book 'Light Shines, Light Reflects.'

Research Interests

Experience

Chair

2020-01-01 — Present

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Champaign, IL

Leading the Industrial Design program.

James Avery Endowed Chair

2017-01-01 — Present

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Champaign, IL

Endowed position in Industrial Design.

Global Design Director

2015-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Whirlpool Corporation • Asia

Directed global design initiatives.

Vice President Design

2011-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Whirlpool Corporation • South Asia

Oversaw design operations in South Asia.

Associate Professor

2005-01-01 — 2011-01-01

Nanyang Technological University • Singapore

Taught design courses and led projects.

Courses

Industrial Design V Studio Industrial Design VI Studio Product Design Development

Requirements for University of Illinois

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:17
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:103
GRE General
Prerequisites
Mathematical background Linear Algebra Calculus
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE is optional for admission to all graduate programs in Statistics. Full status admission requires higher language scores than limited status.