Innovation Profs was started in 2023 by two professors with an interest in innovation and new technology.

Christopher Porter

Christopher Porter is the director of the artificial intelligence program at Drake University and an associate professor of computer science. Prior to coming to Drake in 2016, Porter held postdoctoral positions at the University of Paris Diderot and the University of Florida.  He received a joint PhD in mathematics and philosophy in 2012 and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Gonzaga University in 2003.

Chris Snider

Chris Snider is an associate professor at Drake University in Des Moines. He teaches social media and digital media courses to both undergrad and graduate students. Prior to joining Drake, Chris was a journalist in Baltimore, St. Louis and Des Moines. He moved to Des Moines in 2005 to start Juice magazine. Chris teaches workshops and gives presentations on topics ranging from Social Media Strategy to Personal Branding to Generative AI. He writes a weekly email newsletter on what’s new in social media.