The Dean

Anijo Mathew is the dean of the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy in Los Angeles. He was formerly the dean and professor of the Institute of Design (ID) at Illinois Tech in Chicago. His research evaluates new models of innovation enabled by the convergence of technology and media. Mathew collaborates with global organizations to adapt and evolve their strategic responses to emerging technologies through design-driven leadership, design-led innovation and entrepreneurship. He works closely with Asian organizations, including the Dubai Future Foundation in the United Arab Emirates, Godrej & Boyce in India, the Far Eastern Group in Taiwan and Finablr in the UAE, advising senior leadership on strategic innovation projects. In 2015, informed by this research, he founded Vamonde, a Chicago-based venture operating in 50+ cities internationally, and was recognized by Built In Chicago as one of six companies deploying VR as a disruptive technological paradigm.

A native of India, Mathew holds a PhD in design computing from The Open University in the United Kingdom, a Master in Design Studies from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a professional Bachelor of Architecture from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra in Ranchi, India. He has taught at Harvard Business School, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Illinois Tech’s Stuart School of Business. Mathew previously served as the head of the Department of Art and Design at the College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah in the UAE from 2019 to 2021. As the first academic director for innovation and entrepreneurship at Illinois Tech’s Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship from 2017 to 2018, Mathew helped plan and develop a new campuswide academic platform to teach multidisciplinary innovation and entrepreneurial strategies. Mathew is a recognized speaker at national and international events and has received numerous research grants, awards and other funding.