May 15, 2025
Human Centered Design & Engineering senior Mishti Dhawan has been recognized with the 2025 Dean’s Medal for Leadership & Engagement, one of the highest student honors from the University of Washington College of Engineering.
Presented by Dean Nancy Allbritton, this award is given annually to just two students across the college who demonstrate extraordinary leadership, service, and dedication to engineering for the public good. Selected through a competitive nomination and review process, Dhawan stood out for her significant contributions to the HCDE community and her commitment to making engineering more inclusive and impactful beyond the classroom.
Mishti Dhawan
Human Centered Design & Engineering
Leadership and Engagement
Mishti Dhawan is a human-centered design researcher committed to advancing accessibility, inclusion and community well-being through thoughtful, equity-driven design. At the University of Washington, she has pursued this mission across research, leadership and public service.
Through her work with HuskyADAPT, Mishti helped design accessible play technologies for children with disabilities and led workshops as the organization’s design chair, mentoring peers in inclusive design practices. She also served as president of the Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) Undergraduate Student Association, where she advocated for student needs and cultivated a stronger, more connected department community.
Mishti’s academic and professional experiences reflect a commitment to design that centers lived experience. As a Transit Safety Intern with the Seattle Department of Transportation, she develops strategies to improve public transit experiences for vulnerable riders using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her work is grounded in a belief that public systems should be not only functional, but also compassionate and inclusive. Her interdisciplinary perspective has been shaped by her coursework in the Honors Program and a study abroad experience in London.
After graduation, Mishti will continue her work with SDOT, helping translate transit safety research into actionable design and policy recommendations. She plans to pursue a career at the intersection of design, policy, and public service—focused on making everyday experiences safer, more accessible, and more human.
Learn more about the College of Engineering Dean's Medal here.