Vibhavari Jani

Vibhavari Jani Professor

Interior Architecture & Product Design

1097 Seaton Hall
920 N Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Manhattan, KS 66506
T: (785) 532-5992

2013 Rotary Peace Fellow Professor Jani was trained as an architect, interior designer, painter, singer, and as a dancer and holds graduate degree in Interior architecture and bachelor’s degree in Architecture.

In more than 22 years of practice in the United States, she has served the architecture and interior design industry in executive and administrative capacity and designed and managed large ($100 million) projects for major corporations, health care, education, government and hospitality clients.

As an academic, she enjoys working with students and engages them in creative, interdisciplinary, collaborative, service-learning projects. Her research efforts, conference presentations and publications have addressed a range of issues including the contribution of Non-Western cultures in the field of architecture and design, influence of collaborative efforts in architecture and interior design education, sustainability and green design, and the influence of new technology and how it is impacting the interior design curricula.

Her book “Diversity in Design: Perspectives from the Non-Western World,” published by Fairchild Publication received the Best Book Award from Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) in 2012. She also received a Gold Medal and a Best Thesis Award for her architecture research work “Interiors and Furniture for Open Plan Offices.” This research was published in 1990. Prof. Jani has also received many awards and grants for various research and creative projects.

Her paintings, poetry, essays and articles have been published in India, the UK and the USA. Her many creative publications include “Creation” the book of her abstract paintings based on the Vedanta Philosophy of India, “Baal Vikas Yatra” (Baby’s Growth Book) and her book of Poetry “Sumbandh Naam Nu Ek Phool.” Professor Jani was awarded Kansas Campus Compact Engaged Faculty Fellowship and the Big 12 Faculty Fellowship in 2012. She is also a Tiford Fellow.