Joe Nallen

Overview

Hum Sab Ek (We Are One) is an immersive, research-driven traveling exhibition developed in collaboration with the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University.

This exhibition is inspired by the actions of poor working women in India, who have survived societal and state indifference through half a century of relentless organizing. Hum Sab Ek Hai (We Are One) is the rallying cry of the nearly 3 million strong Self Employed Women’s Association, thriving at the confluence of the labor movement, the cooperative movement, and the women’s movement.

The installations are based on research comprising 30 hours of oral histories and a survey of over 1000 households, examining the impact of the pandemic on the lives of the poor.

Hum Sab Ek has been shown at:

• Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
• The Clinton Global Initiative (New York, NY)
• The World Bank Headquarters (Washington, DC)
• Johns Hopkins University (Washington, DC)
• The International Labour Organization (Geneva, Switzerland)

The exhibit will continue its worldwide travel in 2026, with stops in California, New Delhi, and Ahmedabad.

My Role

I serve as the primary designer responsible for translating research and curatorial content into public-facing digital exhibition experiences.

I designed and built the exhibition's digital companions, which includes a 15+ page website (still in development) and mobile curatorial notes translated into Spanish and French. The translated curatorial notes are accessible via QR codes on each panel in the exhibit.

Prior to this, I designed exhibition signage and visual assets adapted for different physical spaces and displays. I also designed the exhibition logo and beta website, which were shared at large academic conferences and used for fundraising efforts, exhibition applications, and editorial coverage.

In addition to hands-on creation, my consultancy involves providing design direction, constructive feedback, and creative expertise in service of curatorial goals. This work requires close collaboration with faculty, researchers, and design teams across Harvard.

DESIGN SOFTWARE USED

Overview

Climateverse is a Harvard-led research initiative that brings together fragmented climate data to support evidence-based decision-making in South Asia.

The project organizes complex data sources into an accessible framework for researchers, helping them better understand regional climate impacts while addressing challenges around data usability, privacy, and capacity.

My Role

I led the design and layout of Climateverse's primary public-facing landing page, shaping how the project's research, goals, and data framework are communicated to external audiences. I was fully responsible for the visual design, information architecture, and content structure of this page.

Working with Drs. Caroline Buckee, Satchit Balsari, and Andrew Schroeder, I organized technical material into a cohesive narrative that guides users through the project's purpose, methodology, and proposed impact.

The final design functions as both an introduction to the research and a navigational entry point for future tools and datasets.

Design Software Used

Overview

CrisisReady, a research response platform at Harvard University and Direct Relief, operates at the intersection of climate resilience and public health. The 2023 Annual Report served as a critical tool to communicate our team's mission, research, and impact to a global audience of policymakers, humanitarian practitioners, academic leaders, and lay audiences.

The goal was to transform dense scientific research into an inviting and accessible narrative that would drive engagement and support future funding.

My Role

I served as the designer and writer for this project, leading the full conception, narrative structure, and production of the 70-page publication documenting the program's research and global impact. I wrote and edited the report's content in close collaboration with faculty and researchers, translating technical work into clear, accessible language for academic and policy audiences.

I created the complete visual system for the report, including layout, typography, color, and data visualizations. I also managed review cycles with principal investigators, and prepared final files for digital and print distribution. The report was shared at COP28, Harvard leadership briefings, humanitarian convenings, and in funding and grant efforts.

DESIGN SOFTWARE USED

Overview

The 2022 CrisisReady Annual Report documents a year of research and programming on emergency preparedness and disaster response. Focus spans the response and preparedness to natural disasters across the world, the analysis of refugee displacement during the war in Ukraine, wildfire relief in California, data privacy initiatives, and collaborations with public health and government partners.

Designed as a public-facing resource, the report brings together research findings, trend analyses, and new digital tools to support practical decision-making in crisis response.

My Role

As was the case for the 2023 report, I served as the writer, designer, and creative lead for the publication, overseeing the project from concept through final production.

My work was consistent with the following year's project: I wrote the report's content and developed its narrative structure and visual system (i.e. layout, typography, color, various data-heavy visualizations. I worked closely with researchers through iterative review cycles and prepared final files for digital and print distribution.

DESIGN SOFTWARE USED

Overview

This research white paper synthesizes key insights from a four-part seminar on the safe, equitable, and responsible use of human mobility data in public health emergencies, convened at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies at Harvard University.

Bringing together experts from academia, industry, law, humanitarian response, and public health, the report explores how mobility data can inform decision-making while addressing ethical, legal, and privacy concerns.

My Role

I led the full design and production of the report, developing layouts, color palettes, visual , and visual hierarchies. copyediting, proofreading, and digital publishing.

I worked closely with organizers to shape a clear, accessible document that translates interdisciplinary discussions into a cohesive, public-facing resource, and managed its digital dissemination to support broad engagement across research and response communities.

DESIGN SOFTWARE USED

Overview

Below are three figures I designed for a peer-reviewed public health publication. Design was focused on legibility and hierarchy.

My Role

For a peer-reviewed publication in JMIR Public Health Surveillance, I designed and produced the data visualizations used to communicate research findings on public health and emergency response.

Working with Harvard faculty and directly from research data, I translated quantitative information into clear, accurate visual forms that supported the paper's analytical arguments and met the standards of academic publishing. I focused on clarity, precision, and visual restraint, ensuring that each graphic accurately reflected the data while remaining legible and intuitive for expert audiences.

The visualizations were designed to integrate seamlessly with the publication's layout and narrative, reinforcing the research rather than distracting from it.

Key Skills

Overview

My Role

Design Software Used