about me

profile picture of zahra baxi

hi! 👋 i'm zahra!

I'm a designer passionate about using communication and design to connect people to the complex systems they live within. I'm drawn to places and infrastructures that shape daily life but remain invisible to most people who live near them. My work focuses on translating complex ideas into accessible and engaging experiences for public audiences, and I believe design can function as a tool for both inclusion and environmental awareness.

I completed my MFA in Interactive Design at UC Davis in June 2026. For my thesis, I developed communication tools that translated environmental data and field research into engaging educational experiences centered on the ecology of California's Yolo Basin, a 59,000-acre seasonal floodplain that most people drive past without ever stopping. I walked and photographed the basin across seasons, mapped its spatial patterns, and created a set of outputs including posters, zines, an interactive website, and a physical exhibition. My goal was not just to convey facts about the basin, but to give the community an entryway to notice it, and to eventually grow to appreciate and value it. You can read more about this project here ↗.

I earned my undergraduate degree in Human-Centered Design at UC Berkeley, an interdisciplinary program blending design, sociology, psychology, geography, and technology, along with a Certificate in Design Innovation ↗. While at Berkeley, I founded the DEI Officer role within the Human-Centered Design Club, Berkeley Innovation, to promote greater accessibility in design communities.

skills

Interaction Design Visual & Graphic Design UX Research Usability Testing Wireframing & Prototyping Front-End Development Accessibility GIS & Spatial Mapping Science Communication

tools

Figma Adobe Creative Suite Sketch HTML CSS JavaScript ArcGIS & QGIS R RStudio Python VS Code Atom CodePen GitHub Jira Confluence

I have been a TA for the Interactive Design Series at UC Davis, where I help students learn how code for the web.

Outside of design, I like to sketch, paint in gouache, knit, sew and mend, bake sourdough, shoot on film, and train for marathons. I take a lot of pride in finding inspiration the old school way, through physical print media and hands-on making. I try to live with as little waste as possible, and that shows up in how slowly and carefully I like to make things. I also run a small handmade art business, Trinkets by Pickles ↗. Everything I make outside of work finds its way back into how I design.

selected work

publications

  • Bots ‘n’ Beings: AI Futures beyond Big Tech’s efficiency driven Agents​

    Graduate Researcher @ University of California, Davis · Read publication ↗

  • Leveling up during lockdown: The surge of social gaming in college students during COVID-19 and its post-pandemic implications

    Undergraduate Thesis @ University of California, Berkeley · Berkeley SURF profile ↗ · Request for thesis

  • Enhancing Situational Awareness and Patient Safety in Pediatrics Through Virtual Simulation

    Research Intern @ University of California, Davis · Read publication ↗

features

  • Collaboration, confidence, critical thinking: CITRIS internships teach UC students essential skills

    Interview feature · Read article ↗

conferences

  • Presenter @ California Trails and Greenways Conference

    “Trails by Design: Designing for Shared Ecological Understanding” · About conference ↗

exhibitions

contact

open to new roles

i'm currently based in Davis, CA. if you'd like to chat about potential opportunities, collaborations, or just want to say hi, feel free to reach out!

you could also find me at the links below, be forwarned i'm not the best at keeping up with social media! however some i am more active than others.