About Juan
Juan Carlos Noguera is an Industrial Designer and Educator. He holds a Master of Industrial Design (MID) from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor of Industrial Design (BID) from Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala City. Born and raised in Guatemala, Juan grew up immersed in a vibrant, hands-on culture that sparked his early fascination with how things are made, often disassembling household objects just to figure out how they worked.
Following a series of design-for-development projects, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 2013 by the U.S. Department of State. His graduate work at RISD led him into cutting-edge roles at the intersection of technology and design, including serving as lead designer at Voxel8, where he helped develop the world’s first 3D electronics printer. In 2017, he was recognized by MIT Technology Review as one of its Innovators Under 35, and in 2024, he received the prestigious Vilcek Foundation Creative Promise Prize in Design, honoring immigrant professionals who have made significant contributions to American society through their work.
Juan is currently an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he teaches across undergraduate and graduate levels and leads research on emerging technologies, inclusive design, and creative pedagogy.
Academic Experience
Rochester Institute of Technology / Rochester, NY, USA
Assistant Professor of Industrial Design
Full-time tenure-track faculty teaching both in the undergraduate and graduate Industrial Design BFA / MFA programs.
August 2022 - Present
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) / Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Chair of Product Design Program
Full-time Faculty and Chair of MICA’s Product Design Bachelor’s program, managed day-to-day activities, curriculum development, scheduling, faculty hiring, and management of program facilities.
July 2021 - July 2022
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) / Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Product Design Faculty
Full-time Faculty for MICA’s Product Design Bachelor’s program, created new courses, workshops, and curriculum in the areas of Social Innovation, design for manufacturing, and prototyping.
July 2019 - July 2021
Universidad Francisco Marroquín / Guatemala City, Guatemala
Director of Product Design Program and Full Time Faculty
Chair position for the Bachelors in Product Design program. Administered all areas of the program, designed curriculum, and taught in the areas of rapid prototyping, product ideation, and multi-disciplinary collaboration.
July 2016 - July 2019
Universidad Rafael Landivar / Guatemala City, Guatemala
Faculty, Industrial Design Program
Taught and assisted in product design/manufacturing courses as well as ergonomics and human factors.
January 2010 - August 2013
Industry Experience
Studio NO / Design Consultancy
Founder
Worked with industry-leading startups and tech companies in the development of cutting-edge products and concepts in the robotics, health, and consumer product industries.
July 2016 - Present
Electroninks Incorporated
Lead Designer & Member of Advisory Board
Helped launch the “Circuit Scribe” educational toy platform after a successful Kickstarter campaign, created a product line that has been sold in retail stores worldwide and has received numerous toy awards.
July 2016 - Present
Voxel8, Inc. / Somerville, MA, USA
Lead Industrial Designer
Collaborated with a team of Mechanical, Electrical, and Software engineers in the design of 3D Printers and their entire user ecosystem, comprised of hardware (design for manufacturability), software (User Interface/Experience Design), and visual image (graphic design, packaging). Helped design the award-winning Developer’s Kit, the world’s first 3D Electronics printer, and created industry-leading additive manufacturing solutions.
June 2015 - July 2018
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Design Intern
Worked in a multidisciplinary research and development environment in the creation and visualization of novel 3D printing technologies and products under the guidance of Professor Jennifer Lewis. Collaborated with both mechanical engineers and computer science specialists within the Lewis research group.
June 2014 - August 2014
Design Without Borders / Oslo, Norway
Industrial Designer
Part of an interdisciplinary team that worked in Antigua Guatemala. Created wheelchairs for children with special needs, suited for the developing world. Designed products through co-creation with local technicians and collaborated with a local non-profit.
March 2011 - September 2012
Intelligent Mobility International
Project Coordinator and Lead Designer
Led wheelchair and mobility product design, production, and distribution in Guatemala. Collaborated with a local non-profit and Caltech Alumni.
November 2008 – March 2011
Colgate-Palmolive Corporation / Guatemala City
Design Consultant
Developed a new safety signage system to ISO/ANSI standards in order to standardize the visual identity of Colgate's production plant.
March - June 2007
Education / Training
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
Masters of Industrial Design (MID)
September 2013 - May 2015
Universidad Rafael Landivar / Guatemala City, Guatemala
Bachelors of Industrial Design (BID), Magna Cum Laude
January 2005 - October 2009
Central Training Center / Taichung, Taiwan
Industrial Training Program: “Design and Manufacture of Plastic Injection Moulds”
Special focus on computer-aided design (CAD) and CNC machining.
September - November 2010
Awards & Recognitions
Vilcek Foundation
Award for Creative Promise in Design
Awarded to immigrant designers that make important contributions in the United States. The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise support emerging to mid-career immigrant professionals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements early in their careers.
https://vilcek.org/prizes/prize-recipients/juan-carlos-noguera/
2024
European Cultural Centre (ECC) Awards / Venice, Italy
Award for University & Research Projects
The RIT School of Design group showing “Cultural Disruptors” wins the ECC Award for University & Research Projects at the “Personal Structures” Exhibit during the 2024 Venice Biennial.
https://personalstructures.com/stories/unveiling-the-2024-ecc-awards/
2024
Morfos Magazine / Institute for Design Research (INDIS) / Universidad Rafael Landívar, Guatemala
Distinguished Professional
Honored in Morfos, a magazine and research publication by the Institute for Design Research (INDIS) at Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala City.
https://biblioteca.url.edu.gt/indis/morfos-2020-diseno-landivariano/
2020
MIT Technology Review
35 Innovators under 35
Awarded by the MIT Technology Review Magazine, this recognizes innovators that are changing the future of science and technology.
https://www.innovatorsunder35.com/the-list/juan-carlos-noguera/
2017
Avianca Magazine
100 Latinos that Create and Inspire a Better Future
Honored in Avianca Airlines’ commemorative 100-year anniversary magazine publication, circulated both online and onboard Avianca flights.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/avianca-en-revista/id641348376
2019
Mom’s Choice Awards
Drone Builder Kit
Awarded to innovative educational / STEM toys.
https://store.momschoiceawards.com/product/8069
2018
TOTY Awards
Activity Toy of the Year - Circuit Scribe Maker Kit (Runner up)
Held at the NY Toy Fair, nominated alongside world-renowned brands such as Crayola, K’NEX, and Lionel Brands.
https://toyfairny.com/Events2/TOTY_Awards/2017_TOTY_Winners.aspx
2017
Creative Child Awards
Kid's Product of the Year
Circuit Scribe Maker Kit winner in the category of Educational & Electronic Toys.
https://awards.creativechild.com/product/1866-circuit-scribe-maker-kit
2017
Academics' Choice Award
Brain Toy of the Year
“Circuit Scribe” Maker Kit winner for the 2017 Brain Toy of the Year.
http://www.academicschoice.com/toys/maker-kit.php
2017
Edison Awards
Gold Award for Manufacturing
The Voxel8 Developer’s Kit, the world’s first 3D electronics printer, won a gold award for manufacturing.
http://www.edisonawards.com/winners2015.php
2015
Fast Company
One of the 9 Best Ideas from CES 2015
The Voxel8 Developer’s Kit featured as one of the 9 best ideas from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
https://www.fastcompany.com/3040518/the-9-best-ideas-from-ces-2015
2015
R&D Magazine
R&D 100 Award
The Voxel8 Developer’s Kit 3D Printer honored as one of the R&D 100 most innovative products for 2015.
https://www.rdmag.com/article/2017/03/featured-r-d-100-award-winner-voxel8-developers-kit
2015
U.S. Department of State
Fulbright Scholar
Attended the Rhode Island School of Design as a graduate student.
September 2013 - May 2015
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
RISD President’s Scholarship
Awarded by RISD President John Maeda. Member of the RISD Society of Presidential Fellows, providing mentorship and guidance to graduate students and early-career alumni.
September 2013 - May 2015