Tessa Forshaw

Dr. Tessa Forshaw is a cognitive scientist whose work focuses on the intersection of learning science, creativity, and innovation. Specializing in how people work, learn, and innovate, Forshaw studies the cognitive processes that support creative problem solving and how individuals and teams can develop innovative capability through practice at Harvard University's Next Level Lab, where she is a co-founder. She earned her Bachelor of Arts with honors from Australian National University, her Master of Arts from Stanford University, and her doctorate from Harvard University.

Forshaw teaches design thinking, creativity, and innovation at the Harvard Innovation Lab and Harvard University Division of Continuing Education, and served on the teaching faculty at Stanford's design school. A former designer at IDEO CoLab and Accenture, Forshaw brings experience applying design and innovation principles to complex learning and organizational challenges. While at Accenture, she led thought leadership research into the skills needed for the future and the role of technology in workforce development, collaborating with organizations including the World Economic Forum, the World Bank, Walmart, and the Australian Government.

Forshaw is a recipient of the Australian American Chamber of Commerce Innovation Award, a Fast Company Design Award for General Excellence, and a Core77 Design Award for Educational Product Design. Her academic research focuses on the cognitive science of creativity, breaking down common neuromyths and explaining why creativity is a set of cognitive processes rather than a personality trait. Her research supports individuals and organizations in unlocking human-AI collaboration, creative thinking, and adaptability.

Forshaw is co-author of "Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World," published by Wiley. The book became a number one Amazon bestseller in business and entrepreneurship and was nominated for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year. Rooted in learning science and applied design, the book distills the system Forshaw and her co-authors use to teach creativity and innovation at Harvard and Stanford, and addresses what spurs innovation in organizations. Forshaw argues that all people have the ability to be creative, challenging the myth that innovation is reserved for a select few.

Forshaw has delivered a TED Talk and was curated as a speaker for TEDxMelbourne, where she examines the processes behind creative thought and how they can be nurtured. Outside her academic career, she is a member of the senior leadership team at Silicon Valley design firm People Rocket. Whether speaking to educators, executives, or entrepreneurs, Forshaw combines cognitive science and hands-on design experience to make complex ideas about creativity and innovation actionable for a wide range of audiences.