Meet John McCabe ’02 ’06: SIGD Advisory Council Member

From his present position as a Senior Design Manager at IBM to envisioning and executing mission-critical, off-world robotic manufacturing with NASA, John McCabe’s career has gone into the stratosphere.

Today, he leads global teams in developing digital products for Watsonx.ai, an enterprise generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform. Setting conversational AI standards and developing complex generative AI tools are just a couple of its applications.

Beyond his experience with NASA, other work previous to IBM included founding a nonprofit to nurture creative leadership and building an academic design consultancy. He has collaborated with industry leaders such as BMW, the US Space Force, Dell and Google.

McCabe, who earned a Bachelor of Architecture in 2002 and a Master of Industrial Design in 2006, has vibrant goals as a member of the School of Industrial and Graphic Design’s (SIGD) Advisory Council.

“As a SIGD Advisory Council member, I aim to strengthen the bridge between academia and industry, ensuring students gain the practical skills and insights needed to excel in today’s evolving design landscape,” said McCabe, who recently served as a speaker at the College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s fourth annual Day and Design in November. “By leveraging my interdisciplinary design experience, I will help evolve the curriculum to align with emerging trends, support meaningful industry collaborations across studios and actively engage in project reviews and studio sessions.”

McCabe is out to assist SIGD’s efforts to cultivate designers who are not just prepared but poised for success in an ever-changing field.

“By focusing on the latest tools, technologies and methodologies, we can build a program that fosters both technical skill and adaptability, positioning students as competitive, forward-thinking design professionals,” he stated. “These experiences are crucial for giving students a real-world understanding of today’s design challenges and preparing them for impactful careers that will shape the future of design.”