Kelly Dobson

Kelly Dobson is a research scientist at MIT's Art, Culture, and Technology Program within the School of Architecture + Planning. Previously, she served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Digital + Media Department at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Her work focuses on ethical technology, healthcare systems, and human connection through interdisciplinary approaches. She led Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) team for nearly a decade and pioneered the Companion Projects, recognized with prestigious awards.

Education: SMVisS '00 and PhD '07 from MIT. Research interests include sociotechnical systems, art-technology intersections, and critical making. Her projects have been exhibited globally and featured in engineering journals, Wired, and books like Design Meets Disability and Interrogative Design.

• Awards: Rockefeller New Media Art Fellowship, Vida Art and Artificial Life Award
• Leadership: Founded and directed Google ATAP's interdisciplinary team
• Publications: Works appear in Res, Make, and Gourmet

Her narrative explores tensions between technology and humanity, advocating for responsible innovation through art, design, and engineering.