Tuli Bhattacharjee

Describe the work you do. What are some of your recent and current projects that excite you? What inspires you about the future of your chosen field?

I provide consultancy services and solutions globally to clients/practices/firms/labs in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry in topics related to computational design, digital fabrication, experience design, architectural and immersive and interactive installation designs. My daily work life involves critical problem-solving in different humanistic and geometric contexts, and I love connecting these tangible and intangible worlds together to provide a solution that is respectful of the people using it while also being built as efficiently as possible fabrication-wise. My area of expertise is design to manufacturing/fabrication and assembly (DfMA) workflows. I feel that computational design is a way of thinking that can be applied in literally any context and field, and we can make many applications out of it, whether it’s design, fabrication, construction, tools, or a mix of all to really create an impact and make human lives better. It’s like a game with so many levels to unlock as you dig deeper.

Why did you choose Taubman College for your education?

I was very specific in choosing this Masters Course because the amount of experimentation and prototyping opportunities that were available here in facilities, especially the FABLAB, and the diversity of the research work that was done here by the incredible roster of professors was simply unparalleled. It was very aligned with my career trajectory while at the same time giving me space to curate my own research goals.

How did Taubman College prepare you for your career? What experiences beyond the classroom (internships, research assistantships, teaching opportunities, or other external experiences) provided additional value?

It really taught me how to embrace constructive feedback and how to keep on experimenting and prototyping without worrying too much about the results but simply enjoying the process. Additionally, it gave me the courage to think differently and not to try to fit in a mold and instead create a career path curated to myself that I can be proud of. This was a huge revelation as I come from a family of generations of people who have never owned their own practice/business before. I realized I would become the first woman in my family to do so at this scale and context. Seeing the professors here actively involved in both academia and practice actually gave me the idea of opening my own research-driven creative practice, especially based in my own home country, India, where this is still a very new domain. Hence, there is a lot of scope to explore and create impact and kind of take it forward as a path bearer.

How has being part of the alumni community impacted you, personally and professionally?

Taubman allowed me to make friends and connections with people from so many different contexts and cultures, and it broadened my mind both personally and professionally.

What did you like best about attending Taubman College?

That there was literally no right or wrong answer to doing something in a certain way. I used to look forward to coming to school and just failing at my experiments and laughing them off to finally create designs and prototypes I could be satisfied with.

What advice or important lesson would you share with someone considering Taubman College and/or pursuing a career in your chosen field?

Learn to connect the dots between different fields early on. Don’t just be aware of only what’s happening in the area that you are interested in but also surround yourself with people and knowledge from different contexts and backgrounds because most of the impactful solutions come when you learn how to work and collaborate with people from different fields and contexts and Taubman excels at providing such a space.