The 3 Es: Energy, Education, and Engineering

“My life is a living laboratory,” Saul Griffith likes to say, and he certainly does live it that way, walking through life until he bumps into a problem and then focusing on how best solve it or get around it. Otherlab, which Griffith co-founded, is an “engineering, energy, education, math, computation, design” firm with many inventions that are probably going to change the world.  

This engaging discussion will explore cutting-edge technologies and developments in wind and solar energy, robotics, the science of soft, design tools, and 21st century shop class.  Griffith will also explore if and why independent research labs are important and viable in today’s technology market.

Presenter(s)

Saul Griffith is an engineer/entrepreneur who works principally on new hardware technologies. He is Founder and Principal Scientist at Otherlab, where he focuses on engineering solutions for energy production and energy efficiency. He has also been a founder/co-founder of numerous companies, including Optiopia, Squid Labs, Potenco, Instructables.com, Howtoons, and Makani Power.

Saul holds multiple patents in textiles, optics, nanotechnology, energy production, manufacturing, and smart geometry. He has been awarded numerous awards for invention and was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2007. Saul is a technical advisor to Make magazine and Popular Mechanics; sits on various advisory boards including Duke Energy; and co-authors the ‘Howtoons’ childrens comic book series about building your own science and engineering gadgets with Nick and Ingrid Dragotta. 

With multiple degrees in materials science and mechanical engineering, Dr. Griffith completed his Ph.D. in Programmable Assembly and Self Replicating machines at MIT. But he rarely wears shoes, is typically found knee-deep in machinery with fists full of tools, and has holes in most of his pockets. He also loves bicycling and sailing in all its unconventional forms.