Join the Master of Interaction Design (MDes) Program as we explore current perspectives on interaction design. Hear from industry pioneers from Humane, Yuni, and more with lightning talks on their interactive products and services. A panel discussion will follow.

Speaker Bios:

Pierluigi Dalla Rosa is an artist and designer based in the Bay Area. He explores the realms of collective and spatial computing, pushing the boundaries of interfaces and interactions beyond conventional screens. He holds a Master’s in Cinema and Media Engineering, and has a background in interaction design from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. Currently, Pier is building the future of computing at Humane, having been part of shipping forward-looking products at companies like Apple, NIO, Panasonic and Philips, both working in-house and as a consultant. He is an Adjunct in the MDes program, visiting professor at the CIID, and faculty at Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation at Berkeley University, where he inspires students to envision new narratives about a future with sustainable practices in technology.

Manjula Nadkarni is the Co-Founder and CEO of Yuni, a startup unlocking the world’s creative potential with personal AI. She is an award-winning, strategic leader with 20 years of building brands, products, and platforms that have moved the world. Born in India, raised in the Middle East, and forged in the US, she thrives at the intersection of culture, media, entertainment, and technology. Previously, she led strategy and creative at Twitter, and consulted with Airbnb to launch Experiences. She has also worked in agencies such as McCann Erickson, and for the BBC in London, and has received awards from Cannes, The One Show, Clio, Webby’s, Tribeca, and more. She is committed to raising all her communities through positive action. And she makes a mean cuppa chai.

Dr. Sriram Natarajan is the Co-Founder and CTO of Yuni and a former Engineering Lead at Google, where he played a pivotal role in the development of Google Assistant for cars, significantly enhancing the role of AI in automotive technology. He earned his MS and PhD in Computer Engineering from UMass Amherst, and holds multiple US patents. As a strong advocate for responsible AI, he is committed to creating AI solutions that are both efficient and ethically sound, aiming to enhance lives while upholding ethical standards. A TEDx speaker, he shares his extensive knowledge in AI, inspiring audiences to recognize and embrace the transformative power of AI. Dr. Natarajan is also dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry, actively mentoring engineers and underrepresented groups to guide them toward successful careers in software engineering.

ASL interpretation will not be offered at the event. The lecture uses a slide presentation. All content from the slides will be read aloud or described. 

About California College of the Arts

Located at the center of innovation and technology in the San Francisco Bay Area, California College of the Arts is home to a world-renowned faculty of practicing artists and entrepreneurs, and a diverse community of makers that are boldly reimagining the world. Offering 22 undergraduate and 11 graduate programs in fine arts, architecture, design, and writing, CCA’s creative culture is built around the ideals of interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainability, and community engagement.

California College of the Arts campuses are located in Huichin and Yelamu, also known as Oakland and San Francisco, respectively, on the unceded territories of Chochenyo and Ramaytush Ohlone peoples, who have continuously lived upon this land since time immemorial. We recognize the historic discrimination and violence inflicted upon Indigenous peoples in California and the Americas, including their forced removal from ancestral lands, and the deliberate and systematic destruction of their communities and culture. CCA honors Indigenous peoples—past, present, and future—here and around the world, and we wish to pay respect to local elders, including those of the lands from which you are joining us virtually today. If you are unsure of who’s land you are currently residing upon, we encourage you to visit native-land.ca.