Martin Smith graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art, Ohio, USA, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Industrial Design in 1972 and started a career in industrial design. In 1978, he became a Senior Designer of Ron Loosen Associates, California, USA, which is a well-known design consulting firm in Southern California serving the computer electronics industry and, several years later, assumed the role of Managing Partner of the company.  Martin embarked on his academic career as an Instructor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Extension in 1981, while he remained actively engaged as an independent design consultant. In 1983, Smith joined Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California as an Instructor and later advanced to Associate Chair in the Industrial Design Department in 1987. He was appointed Chair of the Product Design Department of the same institution in 1991, a position he held until recently when he resigned to become Chair Professor of Industrial Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

As well as a design educator, Mr Smith is also as an independent design consultant who has overseen many design projects for various eminent automotive companies and designed products for internationally known companies. Professor Smith’s research interests are in the relationship of industrial design and business and the role of sustainability in the education of students becoming responsible designers.