Priyanka Bista is a Nepali-Canadian designer, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of biodiversity conservation and public interest design. Over the past decade, a continuous exchange between international work and academic research has marked Priyanka’s nontraditional trajectory. In particular, the last six years have been a defining period as she co-founded and led a nonprofit studio in the Eastern Region of Nepal. The project, called “Vertical University,” harnesses the learning potential inherent in the vertical gradient of Nepal, starting at a 67-meter elevation in Koshi Tappu to Mount Kanchenjunga (the third tallest peak in the world) at 8,586 meters.