News
Josh Owen

  • May 12, 2021

    two presenters standing on either side of a TV screen that says: metaproject 11.

    Podcast: Metaproject 11 with Staach 

    Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 48: Design must play a critical role as society faces difficult discussions and works to create a new balance in a troubled world. Josh Owen, director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, and Seth Eshelman '06, founder of sustainable design firm Staach, discuss their Metaproject collaboration.

  • August 26, 2020

    presenters standing at front of class with students in person and viewing from a laptop.

    RIT’s Metaproject will collaborate with alumnus’ sustainable design firm

    For Metaproject 11, senior industrial design students will spend the semester designing products for Staach, which focuses on functional sustainable design. Founded by Seth Eshelman '06 (industrial design/graphic design), the company designs and domestically manufactures sustainable products including furniture, interiors, and built structures.

  • July 9, 2020

    Professor Josh Owens sitting on sofa.

    Josh Owen named director of RIT’s Vignelli Center for Design Studies

    Josh Owen, an internationally renowned designer, author and faculty-researcher who has led RIT’s industrial design program to national prominence since coming to the university a decade ago, has been named the new director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies and the Massimo and Lella Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design.

  • March 9, 2020

    cast iron match striker.

    Shopping for Match Strikers 

    The New York Times features a match striker designed by Josh Owen, distinguished professor and director of the industrial design program.

  • December 6, 2019

    two design professors sitting and talking.

    Podcast: Vignelli Metaproject 

    Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 28: Since 2010, Metaproject has paired RIT student designers with a client in what has become a signature project for the university’s internationally-ranked industrial design program. Distinguished professor Josh Owen, director of RIT’s industrial design program and founder of Metaproject, talks with distinguished professor Roger Remington, director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, about a decade of connecting students to industry.

  • May 28, 2019

    Overhead shot of umbrellas.

    RIT students, faculty and alumni take Manhattan for stellar Design Week

    Students, faculty, staff and alumni from RIT’s College of Art and Design descended on Manhattan last week for NYCxDesign—New York City’s annual celebration of design that attracts hundreds of thousands from across the globe—that included a memorable celebration on the iconic Sesame Street.

  • April 11, 2019

    Head-and-shoulders view of three male faculty members.

    RIT honors three as inaugural class of Distinguished Faculty

    RIT announced John Klofas, Bruce Smith and Josh Owen as its first class of Distinguished Faculty, leaders who have provided insights and solutions to today’s criminal justice issues, produced groundbreaking work in nanolithography and developed exciting industrial design innovations.