Joi Ito, the director of the MIT Media Lab, followed a very unorthodox career path. He dropped out of college but became a lifelong learner and a highly successful venture capitalist. At the MIT Media Lab, Ito has championed that institution's inter-disciplinary approach to problem-solving.

ito, 44, is recognized as one of the world’s leading thinkers and writers on innovation, global technology policy, and the role of the Internet in transforming society.

I am a cultural anthropologist studying new media use, particularly among young people in Japan and the US. My research right now focuses on digital media use in the US and portable technologies in Japan.