Erik Demaine

Erik Demaine is a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), holding positions in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) within the School of Engineering. He is also affiliated with the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Theory of Computation (TOC) group. His research focuses on algorithms, computational geometry, data structures, complexity theory, discrete mathematics, and interdisciplinary areas like biology (protein folding) and computational archaeology. He is renowned for his interdisciplinary work, blending mathematics, computer science, and art.

Notable contributions include the Carpenter's Rule Theorem, which proves planar linkages can be straightened without intersection, and foundational work on folding and unfolding problems. His collaborative approaches, including 'supercollaboration,' emphasize open problems and interdisciplinary methods. He has been featured in documentaries such as NOVA's The Origami Revolution and authored influential books like Geometric Folding Algorithms and Games, Puzzles, and Computation.

• Awards:
  • MacArthur Fellowship (2003)
  • Tetris Master
• Key Projects:
  • Curved-crease sculptures in MoMA's permanent collection
  • Virtual Glass software for glass design
  • Origami-based computational models

Demaine's work bridges academia and art, with notable exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and collaborative projects with his father, Martin Demaine. His research often explores playful yet rigorous computational challenges, reflecting his belief in the interplay between theory and creativity.