Marcos Novak, Professor and Chair (2023–26) of Media Arts and Technology at UC Santa Barbara, directs transLAB, a pioneering transdisciplinary media lab exploring “transformation that leads to speciation toward worldmaking.” An architect-engineer and exhibiting artist/scientist, he pioneered generative design, “liquid architectures” and immersive worldmaking.

His Quantum Global Organoid Orchestra (q.GOO) assembles an international network of artists and scientists, connecting biological, technological, and AI systems for creative and scientific exploration of media ecosystems. Fusing AI, computational morphogenesis, sound synthesis, quantum computation, cognitive science, and neuroscience, his work explores emerging expressive possibilities.

With backgrounds in Ancient Greek and philosophy, Novak represented Greece at the 2000 Venice Biennale, has participated there several times since, and exhibits globally. A frequent international keynote speaker, his writings are translated into multiple languages.
He originated MAD (Media Arts and Design), AI+M (AI+Media), and THEMAS, integrating making with technology, humanities, engineering, mathematics, arts, and sciences.