Anijo Mathew / USC-IYA

Indian American designer Anijo Mathew officially assumed his role as dean of the University of Southern California’s Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy earlier this month, following his appointment in June 2026. Mathew brings a global background in design, innovation, entrepreneurship, and higher education. He previously served as dean and professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design (ID) in Chicago, where he began as an assistant professor in 2008 before becoming dean in 2022. 

During his tenure at ID, Mathew was at the helm of graduate programmes in human-centred and systems-based design while teaching entrepreneurship and urban technology. He frequently collaborates with global organizations to guide their strategic responses to emerging technologies.

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Born in Kottayam in Kerala, Mathew spent his childhood in Oman and later got a bachelor of architecture degree from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra in Ranchi. He holds a PhD in design computing from The Open University, UK and a masters degree in design studies from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. 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 from 2019 to 2021.

“Anijo [Mathew] is a visionary researcher, entrepreneur and educational leader whose work is informed by the humanity at the heart of technology,” USC President Beong-Soo Kim said about Mathew’s appointment. “His career embodies many of the qualities that define IYA itself: creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to preparing students to lead in a changing world. His track record of fostering new collaborations will strengthen the impact of the academy at USC and beyond.”

According to USC Today, the official digital news publication for the University of Southern California, Mathew was drawn to the dean role by the academy’s iconoclastic approach and the opportunity to shape one of USC’s newest professional schools.

“With IYA, I have the opportunity to create a new legacy because IYA is in its tweens,” Mathew said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to reimagine what the path forward looks like.” The USC Iovine and Young Academy integrates technology, design, and business to drive innovation across industries. Through its project-based learning model, students and faculty collaborate on complex societal, organizational, and community challenges—leading many students to commercialize their own startups before graduation.

“Throughout the search process, Dean Mathew impressed us with his deep appreciation for the academy’s founding vision and his enthusiasm for its future,” USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman said. “His global perspective, entrepreneurial mindset and collaborative approach will help position the academy for continued success in the years ahead.”

“We are at the cusp of this incredible transformation, and we need to train our students to be prepared for that time,” Mathew said about his appointment at USC.

He sees USC Iovine and Young Academy as “an innovation engine for the entire university” and hopes to forge even greater connections between the academy and USC’s other 22 professional schools and academic units.

“Design is a catalyst, and it works best when it is amplified in collaboration with other disciplines,” Mathew said. “There’s an opportunity within USC and externally to the world to tell the story of what IYA is, why it is important and what we can do in collaboration.”

Mathew has worked closely with many Asian organisations, including the Dubai Future Foundation, Godrej & Boyce in India, the Far Eastern Group in Taiwan and Finablr in the UAE, advising senior leadership on strategic innovation projects. In 2015, he founded Vamonde, a Chicago-based venture operating in 50+ cities internationally.

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. 

“Anijo [Mathew] has been a leader, educator, and advocate for design since joining Illinois Tech in 2008. As dean, he worked tirelessly to position ID to address some of the most pressing challenges facing society today. Please join me in thanking Anijo for his service as dean and in congratulating him on this remarkable new role,”  Elizabeth Hudson, provost, senior vice president for academic affairs, and chief academic officer, Illinois Institute of Technology, said when Mathew departed from his position at ID.

 

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