John Cain

John Cain is an Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Design (ID) at Illinois Institute of Technology, a role he has held since 1997. He served as a Visiting Professor at Illinois Tech's main campus from 2017 to 2019, developing interdisciplinary courses bridging design, computer science, and business. His academic roles also include visiting professorships at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, and guest lectures at prestigious institutions like Kellogg School of Management.

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design from Illinois Tech
• Training at Yale Design Program in Brissago, Switzerland

His research focuses on innovation methodologies integrating humanities, technology, and design to address challenges in the data economy and globalization. Key themes include experience design, consumer research, data analytics, and IoT applications.

John’s industry contributions span over 30 years, including co-founding E-lab (a pioneering research firm acquired by Sapient Corp), leading Iota Partners (sensor technology innovators), and Sideriver Ventures (a business incubator). He has advised major corporations like Apple, Amoco, and McGraw Hill.