Cynthia Breazeal

Cynthia Breazeal is a professor of media arts and sciences at MIT, where she founded and directs the Personal Robots group at the Media Lab. She is the MIT dean for digital learning, and in this role, she leverages her experience in emerging digital technologies and business, research, and strategic initiatives to lead Open Learning’s business and research & engagement units. She is the founding Director of the MIT-wide Initiative on Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (raise.mit.edu) She launched the Day of AI program that has brought AI literacy education to over a million students in K12 classrooms in 170 countries. She co-founded the consumer social robotics company, Jibo, Inc., where she served as Chief Scientist and Chief Experience Officer. Her seminal book, Designing Sociable Robots, is recognized as a landmark in launching the field of Social Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction. She is a fellow of the AAAI, a fellow of AAAS, and is a senior member of the IEEE. She is a recipient of the National Academy of Engineering’s Gilbreth Lecture Award, Technology Review’s TR35 Award, TIME magazine’s Best Inventions, where her Jibo robot was featured on the cover. She has received numerous design awards, including recognition by the National Design Awards, Fast Company Design Award, and Core 77. She has also been recognized as a rising entrepreneur by Fortune and Entrepreneur Magazine.