Top 35 Global Innovator: George Ban-Weiss taps his creativity to distinguish himself academically and musically.

Whether playing fusion, bebop or modern jazz, bassist George Ban-Weiss loses himself in the passion, creativity and freedom of music, finding transcendence in his art.

His willingness to push boundaries has made him a much in-demand musician. Ban-Weiss has appeared on dozens of albums, toured and played with scores of bands with different sounds and styles.

“Improvised music has shown me the value of letting go, pushing creative frontiers, and not worrying about possibly failing in the end,” Ban-Weiss said. “In my mind, the best results come from being willing to take risks and not being hampered by one’s own comfort zone.”

A Can-Do Spirit
He has taken that same can-do spirit to academia. The assistant professor at USC Viterbi's Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering tackles major research projects with policy implications such as climate change and urban air quality. The 33-year-old has already made an indelible impression. In August, “MIT Technology Review” selected Ban-Weiss as one of the world’s "35 top innovators under the age of 35."

Full article at University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering.

View George's presentation at the MIT Emerging Technology conference here.