News Story

KMi Founder Prof Marc Eisenstadt Retires

Alan Fletcher, Friday 30 Nov 2007

Marc Eisenstadt co-founded KMi in 1995 and has pretty much dedicated his life to the lab ever since. The vision for the Open University to host a purely research based lab was revolutionary. The result was a small bunch of crazy academics in a hut trying to figure out how cool science could be woven into the Internet, in the days when that was just a dream. 12 years on and KMi is a globally recognised force in the research and application of innovation for some of the coolest stuff on the planet, thanks in the main to the vision, force and ultra cool attitude of Marc.

Today saw the official retirement gig for Marc, hosted in the KMi Podium and attended by KMi’ers, colleagues, friends and family. The opportunity to learn about Marc’s past from colleagues and to share a few memories, not to mention dodgy pictures of the young Eisenstadt was really something.

In a tribute to all of Marc’s s efforts and successes over the years Ingrid Slack, Peter Scott, Enrico Motta and Martin Levoi presented stories and images from the Time Marc has spent at the OU. Enrico was happy to carry out a significant research project for the event entitled “Why is Marc SO Cool?”

The overwhelming results were:

He has a deep understanding of so many different areas
Ability to inspire and attract the best people
Intellectual insight and rigour
Understands the technical, social and user side of technology
He is ahead of the game all the time
Amazing ability to formulate and pursue research strategies
Amazing enthusiasm and drive
– “Still the most enthusiastic member of KMi”
Very friendly and approachable
“Totally unpretentious”

Marc sums up his last 30 years at the OU as “I’ve had some [fantastic] ups and some [minor] downs but I’m still the same old Bozo”