Theo Edmonds to join UCCS as first Creative Executive in Residence
As the next step in championing and fostering innovation at UCCS, Theo Edmonds joins UCCS as its first Creative Executive in Residence.
Edmonds, an artist, poet, pracademic, entrepreneur and analytics innovator, fuses arts, science and business to shape the future of arts and industry innovation. His work focuses on the human side of the future of work and unlocking systemic creativity in partnership with technology.
“Every organization manages financial capital and human capital,” said Edmonds. “None yet measure Creative Brain Capital. Creative Brain Capital is the measurable capacity of teams to metabolize uncertainty into differentiated growth and human-AI co-creation advantage, especially under pressure. Much of the conversation about AI fixates on what’s beyond human. The real challenge is within us. What if AI is America’s big chance to make the hard creativity of innovation more human than ever? It’s both possible and necessary. Without broader human insight, we risk building tools that serve efficiency but fail in complexity and originality, especially in the high-stakes environments where creativity, interpretation, ambiguity, and judgment matter most.”
Though Edmonds is new to UCCS, he is already a member of the CU community. He previously acted as Associate Dean of Transdisciplinary Research & Innovation in the College of Arts & Media and as Research Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, both at CU Denver.
As part of Edmonds’ induction as Futurist, he’ll be leading the “Harness Your Team’s Creative Brain Capital for Economic Growth Summit” on October 9 from 1 – 4 p.m, in partnership with Creativity America and UCCS University Advancement.
“This summit is University Advancement’s gift to our staff, faculty, students and community,” said Jen Furda, Director of Partnerships, Governmental Affairs & Military Liaison. “Theo Edmonds is a talented ‘futurist’ who will stretch our minds and our creativity. We are so excited to help our university and our community grow together as a team and ‘WONDER’: Work like artists, Observe like researchers, Navigate like entrepreneurs, Design like nature, Embrace mystery like humans and Radiate like star dust.”
The seminar focuses on building the Creative Brain Capital your organization needs to fuel product development, economic growth and cultural adaptability — all while expanding human potential and increasing ROI.
“In these times of extreme cultural and technological change, reimagining how we think about the creative workforce can open new opportunities,” Edmonds shared. “This means making a direct investment in the economic dignity and cultural relevance of America’s vital arts sector working in partnership with science and industry. UCCS and Colorado Springs has what it takes to become the frontier of the future of creative work across culture and commerce. I am grateful to leadership for entrusting me with this important work.”