Saul Griffith | |
---|---|
![]() Griffith in 2008 | |
Born | Sydney, Australia |
Alma mater |
University of New South Wales (B.MET.E) University of Sydney (M.E.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD) |
Known for | Energy conservation, Howtoons |
Awards |
MacArthur Fellowship (2007) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Material science |
Saul Griffith (born 1974) is an Australian–American inventor and renewable electricity advocate. [1] He is the founder or co-founder of multiple companies, including Otherlab (where he is currently CEO), Makani Power, and Instructables. [2]
In 2000, Griffith graduated from the University of Sydney with a Master of Engineering degree. [3] He won a scholarship to MIT Media Lab to study towards a PhD that he completed in 2004. The subject of his PhD thesis was "self-replicating machines". They were one of the first instances of artificial replication being demonstrated using real physics. [4]
Griffith is the co-founder and CEO of OtherLab, a research and development company working on computational manufacturing and design tools [5] and applying those tools to projects such as inflatable pneumatic robots and prostheses, [6] novel approaches to heliostat design, [7] and applications of computational origami to the design of pressure vessels (e.g. for compressed natural gas) in arbitrary shapes. [8] Otherlab's R&D is guided by a vast map of energy flows in the US economy, [9] which they use to identify key leverage points in building a more sustainable energy economy.
Griffith used this energy flow mapping for Rewiring America, a nonprofit organization working on electrification. [10] He argues that the United States can create 30 million jobs, save consumers money, boost energy resiliency, and accelerate achievement of a net zero economy. [11] [12]
Previously, he was a co-founder of Squid Labs, [13] and its spinout companies and projects Makani Power, [14] Instructables, Wattzon, HowToons, OptiOpia, Potenco, Sunfolding, Other Machine Company and Monkeylectric. [15] [2]
Griffith used to live in San Francisco. [16] As of 2022, he has relocated to Australia, living in Wollongong. [1]
He is married to Tim O'Reilly's daughter Arwen. [17] He has two children. [18]
Griffith's mother is a wildlife artist, early Greenpeace activist and printmaker, while his father is a retired professor. [10]
A portrait of Griffith by artist Jude Rae was highly commended in the 2022 Archibald Prize. [19]
Saul Griffith | |
---|---|
![]() Griffith in 2008 | |
Born | Sydney, Australia |
Alma mater |
University of New South Wales (B.MET.E) University of Sydney (M.E.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD) |
Known for | Energy conservation, Howtoons |
Awards |
MacArthur Fellowship (2007) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Material science |
Saul Griffith (born 1974) is an Australian–American inventor and renewable electricity advocate. [1] He is the founder or co-founder of multiple companies, including Otherlab (where he is currently CEO), Makani Power, and Instructables. [2]
In 2000, Griffith graduated from the University of Sydney with a Master of Engineering degree. [3] He won a scholarship to MIT Media Lab to study towards a PhD that he completed in 2004. The subject of his PhD thesis was "self-replicating machines". They were one of the first instances of artificial replication being demonstrated using real physics. [4]
Griffith is the co-founder and CEO of OtherLab, a research and development company working on computational manufacturing and design tools [5] and applying those tools to projects such as inflatable pneumatic robots and prostheses, [6] novel approaches to heliostat design, [7] and applications of computational origami to the design of pressure vessels (e.g. for compressed natural gas) in arbitrary shapes. [8] Otherlab's R&D is guided by a vast map of energy flows in the US economy, [9] which they use to identify key leverage points in building a more sustainable energy economy.
Griffith used this energy flow mapping for Rewiring America, a nonprofit organization working on electrification. [10] He argues that the United States can create 30 million jobs, save consumers money, boost energy resiliency, and accelerate achievement of a net zero economy. [11] [12]
Previously, he was a co-founder of Squid Labs, [13] and its spinout companies and projects Makani Power, [14] Instructables, Wattzon, HowToons, OptiOpia, Potenco, Sunfolding, Other Machine Company and Monkeylectric. [15] [2]
Griffith used to live in San Francisco. [16] As of 2022, he has relocated to Australia, living in Wollongong. [1]
He is married to Tim O'Reilly's daughter Arwen. [17] He has two children. [18]
Griffith's mother is a wildlife artist, early Greenpeace activist and printmaker, while his father is a retired professor. [10]
A portrait of Griffith by artist Jude Rae was highly commended in the 2022 Archibald Prize. [19]