PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island School of Design today announced that John Maeda, associate director of research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, will become the next school president when Roger Mandle steps down in June.
Maeda, 41, a professor at MIT since 1996, most recently been responsible for managing research relationships with more than 70 industrial organizations at the Media Lab. He also has been a practicing designer since 1990 and has developed advanced projects for corporations including Cartier, Google, Philips, Reebok and Samsung, among others.
“I look forward to working with the incredibly inspiring and creative community of RISD to realize the possibilities for the world’s first truly 21st century university of art and design,” Maeda said in a news release.
His early work in digital media design is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Since 2001, Maeda’s works of contemporary art have been exhibited in one-man shows in London, New York and Paris. His fourth book, “The Laws of Simplicity,” has been published in 14 languages and has become the reference work for discussions on the highly elusive theme of “simplicity” in the complex digital world, RISD said.
Maeda has lectured at numerous conferences, universities, museums, and to corporate audiences throughout the world on his philosophy of “humanizing technology.”
“We are delighted to name John Maeda as successor to Roger Mandle,” said Merrill W. Sherman, chairwoman of the RISD Board of Trustees. “RISD has a special obligation to play a leadership role in the world of art and design, nationally and internationally. Creativity and innovation are more important than ever. We believe John will be a bold, innovative and exciting president and will enhance RISD’s role in helping to shape and inform art and design in this century.”
Mandle, who served as president for 15 years, will be stepping down in June. During his tenure, the size of the RISD faculty has grown by 50 percent, the campus has gone through extensive expansion, and RISD’s first capital campaign exceeded its $85 million goal by more than $20 million.
“John Maeda is a commanding presence in both the fine arts and corporate design worlds,” Mandle said. “But just as important, he is a humanist. He is a genius – and he gets things done. He is just what RISD needs.”
Rhode Island School of Design is a private arts and design school founded in Providence in 1877. Today, it has a staff of about 750, including 350 faculty and curators, and a student enrollment of about 2,200. To learn more about the school or its new president, visit www.risd.edu.
