PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Mark Stephen Meadows

Also known as pighed

Mark Stephen Meadows is a researcher whose career connects conversational avatars with AI tools for aeronautics. He earned a BA in math, philosophy, and literature at St. John's College and an MFA in painting and photography at the San Francisco Art Institute; he helped design WELL.com in 1993 and an open-protocol 3D environment in 1995. He founded Botanic Technologies in 2010, joined NASA as a science-fiction author and researcher in 2022, and coauthored NASA studies on human–LLM tools and sustainable airports in 2025. As of October 2026, he works as an author, artist, researcher, sailor, inventor, and experienced executive and serves as a DeAI tech lead while developing Immaculate Dissection, a science-fiction book about AI spirituality, virtual realities, and biotic futures.

Now at
DeAI
Born
1968
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 1993

    WELL.com and art degrees

    In 1993, he helps design WELL.com. His education includes a BA in math, philosophy, and literature from St. John's College and an MFA in painting and photography from the San Francisco Art Institute.

  2. 1995

    A 3D world and Construct

    In 1995, he helps develop the first open-protocol 3D multi-user environment. He co-founds Construct, a virtual-reality and internet company.

  3. 2001

    A gallery in Paris

    In 2001, he opens a gallery in Paris and sells his paintings there for two years.

  4. 2010

    Botanic Technologies

    In 2010, he founds Botanic Technologies to develop conversational avatars for education and video games.

  5. December 2022

    NASA research appointment

    In December 2022, he joins NASA Research as a science-fiction author and researcher. The role reports to NASA's Convergent Aeronautics Solutions.

  6. April 2025

    Human–LLM discovery tools

    In April 2025, he coauthors NASA's Innovation Machine: Human-LLM Teaming for Aeronautics Research and Discovery, a study of how large language models and visualization tools can help transdisciplinary teams identify cross-sector aeronautics problems. The paper demonstrates an Innovation Whitespace Generator and a Transformative Potential Compass.

  7. August 2025

    Sustainable airport futures

    In August 2025, he coauthors Powering Sustainable Airports in the Year 2075, an exploratory study of zero-carbon, sustainable hub-scale airports and possible future pathways for aviation.

  8. As of October 2026

    DeAI technical lead

    As of October 2026, he is an author, artist, researcher, sailor, and inventor with executive experience, and serves as a DeAI tech lead. He develops Immaculate Dissection, a science-fiction book exploring AI spirituality, virtual realities, and biotic futures.

Career

  1. NowDeAITech Lead
  2. From 2022NASAScience-fiction author and researcher
  3. From 2010Botanic TechnologiesFounder
  4. From 1995ConstructCo-founder

Education

  1. St. John's CollegeBA in math, philosophy, and literature
  2. San Francisco Art InstituteMFA in painting and photography

From the biography.

  1. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes NASA. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  2. 19% of people shaping AI who founded a dated organization have founded two or more, waiting a median of 7 years before a secondIncludes NASA. Across 1,136 people shaping AI who founded or co-founded a dated company, standalone lab or nonprofit, 221 (19%) founded at least two organizations, accounting for 36% of all 1,421 founding events.
  3. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes St. John's College. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  4. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI each year from 1955 to 2025, tracing the shift from university labs to companies.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Mark Stephen Meadows yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Mark Stephen Meadows - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Innovation Machine: Human-LLM Teaming for Aeronautics Research and Discovery - NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) ntrs.nasa.gov. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Powering Sustainable Airports in the Year 2075 - NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) ntrs.nasa.gov. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. ESA - Phinnovation Summit philab.esa.int. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Work - Mark Stephen Meadows markmeadows.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Writing - Mark Stephen Meadows markmeadows.com. Checked 21 October 2026.