Because of my diverse set of experiences, I’m not just a great writer—I’m also a great reader! My years as a doctoral researcher have made me stellar at effectively breaking down, synthesizing, and communicating complex concepts. I also have a keen eye for visual design, which is why my hobbies include making earrings out of polymer clay or resin, crocheting, altering thrifted clothes, and… making PowerPoints. Okay, so I never stopped loving PowerPoint. Luckily it turned out to be kind of a win!
Welcome!
My name’s Anannya. I’m a presentation designer, a trainer, and a researcher. I grew up in India making PowerPoints for fun. Storybook reviews, mock-invitations to parties with my stuffed animals and dolls, you name it, I was making a PowerPoint about it. You don’t normally think of presentation software as something that could entertain a kid, but man—I loved animating that clip art. In a lot of ways, ending up where I am today is like coming full circle.
After studying English and Philosophy in Fort Worth and Los Angeles, I landed in Irvine, where I researched storytelling and interpretive cultures on the internet, including fanfiction communities and conspiracy theories. I’m so fascinated by the way people mutually inform, misinform, entertain, and teach each other through multiple modes and formats, I got a Ph.D. in it! While working on my doctorate, I developed and practiced a plethora of instructional skills, eventually going forward to train incoming graduate instructors and collaborating with the Office of Learning Experience Design to develop faculty training materials for the University.