John Maeda
John Maeda's career has spanned various design, technology, and education roles. He began his career as a computer scientist, working on projects at MIT's Media Lab. In 2001, he joined the faculty at the MIT Media Lab as an associate professor and later served as the director of the research lab's Aesthetics and Computation Group. In 2008, he was appointed President of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he served until 2013.
After leaving RISD, Maeda joined Kleiner Perkins as a Partner, focusing on design in technology startups. From 2015 to 2017, he was Design Partner at a venture capital firm. In 2018, he joined Automattic as Global Head of Computational Design and Inclusion. In this role, he leads the company's design and inclusion efforts and works on further integrating technology and design into the company's products.
John Maeda has received several awards throughout his career for his contributions to design and technology. Some notable mentions include:
- Design Mind Award from the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in 2012
- AIGA Medal in 2012
- Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business in 2012
- BusinessWeek's Design Innovator of the Year in 2006
- National Design Award for Communication Design from the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in 2001
- Id Magazine's Interactive Design Review in 2001
- Webby Award for Best Use of Animation in 2000
He also served as the Jury President for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2018. These are just a few of the many awards and honors that John Maeda has received over the years. He is highly respected in design and technology, and his work has significantly impacted the industry.
Throughout his career, Maeda has also been an active speaker and author. He has given talks at various conferences and events worldwide and has written several books, including "The Laws of Simplicity" and "Redesigning Leadership." He has also been honored with numerous awards for his contributions to the field of design and technology.
