Paul McDonagh-Smith

Paul McDonagh-Smith is a Visiting Senior Lecturer in Information Technology at the MIT Sloan School of Management. In his research and teaching, Paul creates key intersection points between technology and business. He specializes in translating computer and data science into measurable business value that evolves organizational capability, transformation, and strategy.

He teaches in MIT Sloan’s, ‘Accelerating Digital Transformation with Algorithmic Business Thinking’, and ‘Digital Learning Strategy’ programs. As an early pioneer in Digital Reality, Paul has successfully invented and innovated with Extended Reality (XR) and metaverse technologies across multiple industries for more than 20 years and is a featured lecturer in MIT Sloan’s, ‘Business Implications of Extended Reality (XR): Harnessing the Value of AR, VR. Metaverse, and More’ program. Paul also teaches in, and contributes to, a wide range of MIT Sloan Executive Education programs.

McDonagh-Smith plays a role in shaping the growing portfolio of digital programs at MIT Sloan Executive Education. He collaborates with the MIT Sloan team to define digital strategy and drives transformative technology experimentation.

Through close collaboration with Faculty, Labs, and Schools across MIT, as well as an extensive global network of industry partners, Paul’s approach to entrepreneurship is built upon a bias for practical action. More technology ‘presentist’ than technology ‘futurist’, Paul enables teams to invent their future, starting today.

He provides digital transformation, business model and strategy guidance to organizations across multiple industries and geographies as well as to a range of international government departments.

Prior to MIT, Paul held senior roles in Optical Network Systems Engineering, R&D, Emerging Products and Technology, Business Transformation and Human Resources during a 20-year career in the telecoms industry.

Paul is an advisor to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, under the supervision of chief scientist, Dr. James B. Garvin.