SAFIYA AHMED

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

EDUCATOR CO-FOUNDER SAFIYA AHMED GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDUCATOR CO-FOUNDER SAFIYA AHMED GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDUCATOR CO-FOUNDER

SAFIYA AHMED

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Safiya Ahmed is the co-founder of Ricebox Studio, an award-winning design practice that uses visual communication and creative technology for social good. As a designer, educator, and co-founder, her work explores the intersection of Graphic Design, education, and community-led practice.

As a Lecturer in BA Graphic Design at the University of Westminster and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), she has over five years’ experience teaching and designing creative workshops across universities, community spaces and schools.

As a graphic designer, she works on projects across a broad range of disciplines, including inclusive and accessible design, editorial, digital design and creative tech such as augmented reality. Safiya has collaborated with organisations such as Samsung, Plan International, Lego, Tate, and Somerset House, among others.

Samsung's Solve For Tomorrow Future - Expert Speaker with The Receipts Podcast.

Honours and Awards

Youth To the Front Fund by WAFF Awarded to Ricebox Studio, 2024/26

Winter Commission Awarded to Ricebox Studio, Culture Within Newham, 2024/25

Nominee for Most influential women in UK tech : The 2023 longlist

Nominee for Inspirational Teaching Award, Sheffield Hallam University, 2022.

Shortlisted for the UAL Knowledge Exchange Awards 2022.

Creative Conscience Award: Highly Commended, 2021.

Design Fellow, The Rights Studio & Child Rights International Network, 2019-2020.

UAL Creative Enterprise Awards 2020: Best Community Project @ Ricebox Studio

Talks
Workshops
Conferences

Photographer’s Gallery Talk, Ricebox Studio’s branding for ‘Ways of [Machine] Seeing’, (2025)

Panellist on Future Entrepreneurs Programme, City of London Corporation (2025)

Mentor at Sisterhood Creative Entrepreneurship Summer programme (2025)

Workshop facilitator at UAL Awarding Body - Teach Inspire Create Conference (2024)

Speaker at Founders and Freelancers Creative Business & Enterprise Panel, UAL (2024)

Roundtable discussion for LEGO on utilising digital in innovative ways, hosted by B+A, London (2023)

Roundtable discussion on digital identities, XR and activism with Freedom2Be and artist CW Stubbs, Lea Bridge Library, London (2023)

Artivive AR and Art Summit - Presentation speaker (2022)

Ravensbourne University Industry Talk for BA Grpahic Design - Speaker (2022)

Global Context Visual journalism - Workshop host at Kingston School of Art, (2021)

Samsung's Solve For Tomorrow Future Talk on 'Designing for a diverse and inclusive future' - Speaker and FutureLearn course co-creator, September 2021.

Service Lab: Becoming and progressing as a service designer - Speaker,
June 2021

Re-illustrating Histories and Voices Workshops - Co-producer and facilitator
University of the Arts London Camberwell, BA Illustration, Apr 2021

Designing for social activism workshop - Producer and workshop facilitator - Sheffield Hallam University 3rd Year Graphic Design, February 2021.

UAL Tech for All Conference - Workshop co-host and facilitator, February 2021.

Alumni Evening - Speaker - BA Graphic Design, University of the Arts London, January 2021

Augmented Reality, Activism & New Media - Hackathon co-host and facilitator, December 2020.

MIMA School of Art and Design - Visiting Speaker, November 2020.

Augmented Activism - Producer and Workshop Facilitator - UAL Camberwell 2nd Year Graphic Design, 2020.

Spark Activism with AR Instagram Filters - Workshop Facilitator - UAL Summer Sessions: Make and Create, 2020.

Modual Open Futures - Project Manager and Broadcasting Team, 2020.

Modual Climate Emergency - Project Manager and Broadcasting Team, 2020.

Future EdTech 2020 - Roundtable discussion speaker, June 2020.

Modual Kickstarter - Project Manager - Somerset House, August 2019.

UAL Teaching Platform - Speaker on student panel, July 2019.

UAL Digital Edge - Speaker - Somerset House, June 2019.

Modual Maker - Team leader and designer - Design Museum, April 2019.

Modual Catalyst - Team leader and designer - Design Museum, March 2019.

Interpolate Workshop - Workshop facilitator - IAM Conference 19'
at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain, March 2019.

Tata Exchange x Beta Society - Workshop facilitator and speaker - Blavatnik Building, Tate Modern 2019

White Space - Focus Group and workshop facilitator - Camberwell College of Arts 2019

Modual Interact Global - Team leader - 2018

Modual Kickstarter - Team leader - Somerset House 2018

Trust the Process - Workshop facilitator - Camberwell College of Arts 2018

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