Charlie Cannon

Charlie Cannon is a Professor in the Department of Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), serving full-time since 2009. Previously, he held part-time roles in Landscape Architecture and Architecture/Graduate Studies. His research focuses on sustainability, urbanism, social innovation, education, and social change. He co-leads RISD’s NSF EPSCoR project, a $20M initiative studying climate change’s impact on marine life.

• Education: BA, Wesleyan University; MARC, Harvard University

Teaching spans graduate core studios and undergraduate courses in sustainable design/social innovation. Founded the Innovation Studio, a cross-disciplinary program addressing systemic challenges like carbon reduction, sustainable agriculture, and rural economic development. Professional experience includes architecture, software strategy, furniture design, and policy advocacy.

Grants & Leadership: Co-PI for NSF EPSCoR; Chief Learning Officer at EPIC Decade, a social innovation initiative.