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Josh Owen

Josh Owen, an internationally renowned designer, author and faculty-researcher who has led RIT’s industrial design program to national prominence since coming to the university a decade ago, has been named the new director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies and the Massimo and Lella Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design.

While he’ll soon step away from the day-to-day at the university to which he has dedicated nearly six decades, R. Roger Remington wants people to know, “I’m not going anywhere.” The Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design and longest-serving faculty member at RIT will retire in May after 57 years at the university.

The New York Times features a match striker designed by Josh Owen, distinguished professor and director of the industrial design program.

As part of an interactive games and media course, 12 RIT students made cardboard and digital pinball machines designed around themes of their own choosing. For the final exam, students brought their creations to The Strong National Museum of Play and had visitors give their physical and virtual pinball machines a test drive.

Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 28: Since 2010, Metaproject has paired RIT student designers with a client in what has become a signature project for the university’s internationally-ranked industrial design program. Distinguished professor Josh Owen, director of RIT’s industrial design program and founder of Metaproject, talks with distinguished professor Roger Remington, director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, about a decade of connecting students to industry.

Woodworking Network talks to Josh Owen, professor and chair, industrial design program, about the late Wendell Castle, father of the art furniture movement and former RIT artist-in-residence.

RIT’s Metaproject is coming full circle. Since 2010, Metaproject has paired RIT student designers with a client partner in what has become a seminal project for the university’s nationally ranked industrial design program. This year’s project is honoring both the 10th anniversary of Metaproject and RIT’s Vignelli Center for Design Studies.

Patricia Moore, known as the "Mother of Empathy" for her innovative designs for elderly people, is the 2019 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award winner in the Design Mind category. 

Design Milk features the latest Metaproject challenge results.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni from RIT’s College of Art and Design descended on Manhattan last week for NYCxDesign—New York City’s annual celebration of design that attracts hundreds of thousands from across the globe—that included a memorable celebration on the iconic Sesame Street.

Professor Josh Owen led an eight-day design-centric tour of Iceland during its biggest design festival called DesignMarch. The group of 17 went on design-focused tours of Reykjavík, met with local designers and attended design presentations and workshops.