Muskaan aims to create aesthetically appealing software designs with the ability to make impactful social change.

Muskaan Dhadwal is earning a master’s degree in human-computer interaction at the University of Michigan. Muskaan grew up in a small hill town in the Himalayas where opportunities to pursue higher education were limited — especially for girls and women. When she enrolled at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in India, she became the first woman in her family to study away from home. Muskaan persevered as a woman in STEM, pushed herself out of her comfort zone, and grew committed to promoting gender equality. As an undergraduate, she discovered an interest in UI/UX through the university’s prestigious Google Developers Student Club, where she worked as the only female member of the creative team involved in brainstorming and designing sessions.

A highly successful and involved student, Muskaan is now thriving in her graduate studies at U-M. Recently, Muskaan also launched an innovative platform called Community Connect, which connects teachers and community changemakers to provide authentic learning experiences for K-12 students. Her team was awarded funding from the OptiMize Social Innovation Challenge, and their vision to make experiential learning accessible has received fellowship and funding support from sources including the Learning Levers Competition. Through projects like these, Muskaan intends to leverage her education and skills to explore new technologies and gain insight into the latest trends dominating the tech and design industry. Ultimately, she aims to create aesthetically appealing software designs with the ability to make impactful social change.

In addition to her interests in user experience design, Muskaan has been part of the Rotary Club initiative to educate rural Indian women about menstrual hygiene, and she participated in tree plantation activities across her hometown in India to raise awareness on deforestation. Already, Muskaan is recognized for her impressive “commitment to teamwork, excellence, and representation.”

CEW+ celebrates Muskaan’s persistence and impact as a woman in STEM and names her an Irma M. Wyman Scholar.