MIT Media Lab Program in Media Arts & Sciences - Statement of Objectives 2020

I was sitting in my room playing with my favorite set of building blocks when I suddenly heard the front door knock. I got up, and ran downstairs to find my father pulling up on the driveway. He had been gone for a couple of weeks but he assured me that my long wait was soon to be rewarded. He put his bags on the floor, I jumped up to hug him as he reached into his suitcase to grab a colorful, squared box. My first portable gaming console had arrived, a brand new GameBoy Color! The moment that I opened the box and held the device for the first time, something special happened. I was instantly captured and intrigued by the “magic” of that little box.

I was only four years old, and since that day my fascination for technology would be nurtured by countless hours playing video game consoles, building spaceships with Lego bricks,  watching science fiction movies, reading comics, and tinkering with the latest gadgets from Sony, Apple and Motorola.

As I grew older, I became highly curious about the way in which these devices were designed and made. I would ask myself, how could a bunch of plastic and metal pieces work together to create such wonderful results? This constant questioning and curiosity about the technology that I was exposed to, helped me develop a great interest for science and engineering and eventually led me to pursue a degree in robotics and artificial intelligence. 

During my first year as an undergrad I invested my time on building an innovation firm called OGMA. I founded OGMA with the vision of helping companies bring human centered tech to market. With the aim of living up to my vision, I enrolled in a Certificate on Innovation and Technology offered by MIT. The continuous exposure to new ideas from people from all around the world alongside a deep analysis of the global entrepreneurial, innovation and tech scenes, led me to reconsider my life’s goals along with the work that I had been doing with the innovation firm. With incoming clients and contracts at the door, I decided to shut down the company.

I then embarked on a quest to understand the many troubles that our world has, problems that it will face in the future and ways in which technology can serve as a strong force to improve the lives of many. The findings of my quest have fueled my passions and guided the projects that I have had the opportunity to be part of at my home university, ITESM, and at the MIT Media Lab as a Visiting Student; projects that have given me the honor of receiving awards from Santander Bank, Adobe Systems, Tec de Monterrey and Mexico’s National Robotics Federation. 

Being inspired by my professors, colleagues, family and friends as well as by the pressing challenges that our world is currently facing, I’ve realized that technology is much more powerful than I had previously thought and that its development should never be guided by market forces nor purely economical reasons but by the will to create a profound and long lasting impact on present and future societies.

I believe that the Media Lab’s graduate program and unique exploratory culture create a perfect place for me to further develop my artistic, scientific, engineering and personal skills; skills that I need to fulfill my renewed life mission of developing and democratizing humane technologies that will help people enjoy the most human aspects of being alive. 

I envision a world where the benefits of technology are easily accessible to everyone. A world where technology is designed to empower millions and inspire curiosity in the same way  it did with me 19 years ago when I held that “magical” box.