Davide Fornari (Mantua, 1979) is full professor at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne, where he has led the applied Research and Development sector since 2016. He was a visiting professor at Sapienza University of Rome for the academic year 2020/2021. He teaches at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne and at Design Academy Eindhoven (since 2021).
Previously, he was a tenured researcher and lecturer at the Laboratory of visual culture, SUPSI University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland in Lugano (2009–2017).
After studying architecture at IUAV in Venice and ETSA in Barcelona, he earned a Ph.D. in Design sciences from University Iuav of Venice in 2010. His Ph.D. thesis Il volto come interfaccia (et al./EDIZIONI, Milan 2012) was awarded a grant for publication from the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Together with Silvia Sfligiotti, he co-edited the magazine «Progetto grafico» (2015–2017). He edited and art directed with Régis Tosetti the monograph Bianca e Blu Monica Bolzoni (Rizzoli international, New York 2019). With Robert Lzicar, he co-edited the book Mapping Graphic Design History in Switzerland (Triest verlag, Zurich 2016) and co-coordinated the research project Swiss Graphic Design and Typography Revisited (2016–2021). With Davide Turrini, he co-edited the book Olivetti Identities. Spaces and Languages 1933–1983 (Triest verlag, Zurich 2022).

Gillo Dorfles Award for industrial design in 2004 (with Francesco Gamba and Federico Saurer).
Member of the permanent observatory on design of ADI (2014-2021).
Member of the Swiss Institute in Rome for the academic year 2014/2015.
Member of the European Design Awards jury (2016, 2017).
Board member of Swiss Design Network since 2017 (vice-president of the board since 2021).
Member of the Swiss Federal Design Commission since 2018.
Member of the jury for the Pax Art Award (2018, 2019).
Member of the editorial board of «Polygraphe(s)» magazine, published by Fondation de la Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris, since 2019.
Member of the jury for Grands Prix du Design (2020).
Member of the advisory board of «D2 Design Storia Teoria» magazine, published by Allemandi, Turin, since 2022.