Elizabeth Goldring Piene

Elizabeth Goldring, a poet and media artist, is CAVS Fellow at ACT and director of the CAVS Vision Group. She worked with Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope inventor, Robert Webb, to turn the SLO into a “seeing machine” for people who are blind. Recently, using the SLO concept, she and her Vision Group have developed an affordable, portable, easy-to-use “seeing machine camera” prototype, the pilot study results of which are being reported in a forthcoming issue of Leonardo. 

Goldring has published 3 books of poetry and contributed to several poetry anthologies. She has exhibited interactive Eye/Sight installations internationally.  Awards and honors include:  Smith College Medal; Technology Review, Scientific American and Esquire Magazine “best and brightest” awards; NEA, poet of the month award; Prix Ars Electronica; MIT IDEAS competition. 

Goldring was graduated from Smith College and received a Master’s Degree from Harvard University. She worked as exhibits developer at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Collection of Fine Arts and the Boston Children’s Museum. 

At MIT she has held positions as Exhibitions and Projects Director, CAVS; lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning; acting Co-Director, CAVS. She co-directed and participated in five international Sky Art Conferences and two MIT Arttransition Conferences with Otto Piene.  

She is a Fellow of the World Technology Network and of the Lifeboat Foundation. 

She and theater director, Robert Wilson, collaborated on themes of blindness and robotics. The production features the CAVS Vision Group’s Eye-Robot.

Goldring was married to artist and CAVS/MIT Director, Otto Piene, who passed away in 2014.