Richard Cawood

Bio

Richard Cawood is an award-winning creative media professional, educator, and portrait photographer based in Dubai, UAE. A native of Leeds, England, Richard earned his BFA and MFA from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). His career integrates teaching, creative leadership, and photography, giving him a multidisciplinary edge in both academia and industry.

Richard has held academic and administrative positions at the University of Cincinnati and Loyola Marymount University, where he developed innovative teaching practices and led technology-driven initiatives, including the launch of LMU’s Faculty Innovation Center. He also taught in Munich at Ludwig Maximilian University as part of the *Exploring New Media* summer program, fostering cross-cultural learning and introducing students to emerging technologies.

Professionally, he has managed creative campaigns for clients like Virgin America, Nike, and Hulu, as well as designing large-scale digital projections for operas in the U.S. and Europe. As the lead creative for the Zayed University Middle East Film Festival (2019–2023), Richard shaped its brand direction and digital presence. Recently, he has focused on the potential of generative AI to transform creative industries.

His award-winning photography, described as "emotive minimalism," has been featured in international publications and recognized by Zeiss on their global photography blog, *LensPire*. Richard is passionate about fostering creativity in his students and the broader community, contributing to initiatives like CreativeMornings Dubai and mentoring the next generation of digital storytellers.

Office

Dubai Academic City, Dubai

Phone:

+971 4 402 1331

Email:

Teaching Areas

Foundations, Principles of Design, Multimedia, Photography, Video

Research and Professional Activities

 Generative AI, Multimedia, Photography, Web 3, AR/VR