On September 29, the presentation ceremony for the Magnolia Gold Award was held in Shanghai. Professor Constantinos A. Terzidis, from the College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University, was honored with this prestigious award, presented by Gong Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai. Prior to this, Professor Terzidis had already received the 2023 Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award.

Shanghai Magnolia Awards are designed to recognize and appreciate foreign nationals who have made significant contributions to the city’s economic development, social progress, and international exchanges. The recipients of the Magnolia Gold Award are generally selected from Magnolia Silver Award winners and have made outstanding contributions in fields such as trade, finance, technology, shipping, education, healthcare, and culture.

Professor Terzidis is a renowned scholar in the field of international algorithmic design. He was awarded the ACADIA award for innovative research in digital design and is also the founder and leader of the world’s first laboratory exploring artificial intelligence arts. Since joining Tongji University’s College of Design and Innovation in 2017, he has brought new academic perspectives and valuable practices to Tongji’s design discipline, providing innovative ideas for the discipline construction and talent cultivation in Shanghai.

Professor Terzidis has been actively promoting innovation in artificial intelligence education, supporting Shanghai’s cultivation of technologically innovative talents. Independently, his team developed a “AI + Art” course tailored for local young students and published a supporting teaching monograph. Aimed at both students and teachers, activities for science and technology innovation and popularization earned awards such as the UNESCO Wenhui Award for Asia-Pacific Educational Innovation. He also founded the first Museum of AI Arts in China, annually organized AIIC and hosted over 100 professional development workshops for teachers, laying a talent foundation for Shanghai’s AI education and design.

With passion about Chinese culture, Professor Terzidis has also been deeply engaged in Shanghai’s construction of a smart city. As a member of the “Shanghai International Design 100 Think Tank,” he has provided academic guidance for the upgrading of Shanghai’s AI industry. After receiving the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award in 2023, he has continued to share his research and innovative practices at Tongji University and in Shanghai through international talent exchange platforms.