Robert O’Neal is a product designer, innovator, and educator. He holds the title of Professor Emeritus of Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, a BS degree in Industrial Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and an MA degree from Cornell University.  He also studied at the Academy Andre L'Hote in Paris, France.  

Department, as Program Head for the Department’s Graduate Program, and developed a summer course of study in Milan, Italy.  He also helped develop a project and business venture concerned with the development and deployment of a refugee shelter and sustainable product system.

Before teaching he worked as a product designer for the George Nelson Company in New York, Atlantic Aviation, and ALCOA Corporate Design Center in Pittsburgh.
In addition to RISD, Bob has taught at Cornell University, Guadalajara Mexico and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in St Etienne, France.  Since retiring he has focused on the drawing process that he invented and developed while teaching. Robert taught within the ID Department at RISD from 1974 to 2008.  During his tenure at RISD, he served as Head of the Industrial Design.