Title: Adjunct Associate Professor
Company: Otis College of Art and Design
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
Markus Maciel, adjunct associate professor at the Otis College of Art and Design, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in product design and education.
Now nearing 25 years in his field, Mr. Maciel made an immediate impact with his first job as a senior engineer at Mattel in 2001. Spending nearly 10 years in this role, he initially joined the Hot Wheels division before shifting to the engineering department, where he gained experience in 3D modeling and reverse engineering. During his time at Mattel, Mr. Maciel played a key part in establishing a comprehensive training center and learning department for the company. He developed and delivered more than 150 courses annually to Mattel employees around the world.
Following that, Mr. Maciel contributed as director of product development for International Toy and design director of new brands for Razor USA LLC. Across these roles, he gained experience in both boy’s and girl’s toy product lines. Mr. Maciel contributed to toys for major brands, including Hot Wheels, Barbie, Disney and Razor Scooters. His design positions also allowed him to become deeply familiar with manufacturing, including visiting and managing teams at overseas factories.
Concurrently with his impressive toy design work, Mr. Maciel has been involved with education at his alma mater, the Otis College of Art and Design, since 2005. Initially serving as a senior lecturer, he has since been promoted to academic project assistant, interim chair, assistant chair and finally, adjunct associate professor. Mr. Marciel primarily works within the college’s toy design department, teaching numerous classes, including the summer of art course. Among the many courses he has led, his favorite is the action figure design class, where students not only learn the process of toy design but also have a chance to implement storytelling, coming up with backstories and connecting their design to hero and villain archetypes.
In addition to his work as an educator, Mr. Maciel provides his services as a designer and product development expert through his own firm, Maciel360. Regularly consulting with major companies, he leverages his decades of experience to aid clients in leading products from initial design to manufacturing. Mr. Maciel prides himself on keeping updated on the latest developments in the industry, including significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI). Recognizing that some students are hesitant to engage with AI, he has focused on empowering them with information on how to use AI effectively and ethically. Mr. Maciel’s goal is to teach students how AI can be used to complement human creativity rather than replacing it. A lifelong movie lover, he has also created two short films using AI under his banner, Inner Frame Film.
Mr. Maciel’s performance in the field was born of his academic journey. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in toy design from the Otis College of Art and Design in 2001. Mr. Maciel has completed additional courses in 3D modeling and 2D digital design, including covering the Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign tools.
Beyond his career, Mr. Maciel is a loving father to one son. He enjoys watching movies, building things, photography and traveling. Mr. Maciel has ambitious goals for the coming years, including completing his master’s degree and becoming a full professor at the Otis College of Art and Design. He also aims to finish writing and publish his first book.
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