Anaissa Ruiz Tejada

Anaissa Ruiz Tejada spent years earning her PhD in neuroscience before taking a leap of faith to pursue her passion for design. It’s her unconventional path that gives her a unique perspective as a designer; the scientist in Anaissa creeps into her aesthetic and research process. There is no such thing as being too late,” she explains below. Here’s how Anaissa turned her pivot into her greatest strength.

About my work

My creative practice
I am currently a design apprentice at BUCK. I collaborate with people whose work I’ve admired for years to develop design solutions across a variety of projects and clients. What I love most about design is that there is never just one way to solve a problem. I bring together curiosity and my background to create work that feels thoughtful and unexpected. I am learning as much as I can while having fun and experimenting in the process.

Influences and inspiration
My biggest inspiration is my Mexican culture. I grew up surrounded by bright colors, bold shapes, patterns and textures, which always find their way into my work.

Another big inspiration is my academic background. Before motion design, I completed a PhD in neuroscience, where I got used to observing the world through a scientific lens, using research tools like microscopes, data visualizations and other imaging techniques. This type of observation will always influence how my work looks and how I approach the early research and concepting stages of any project.

My training
I started my design career as a self-taught artist, watching tutorials online during the final years of my PhD. Once I had a portfolio, I applied and was accepted onto the Motion Media Design MA program at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). At SCAD, I continued learning design and animation fundamentals, but most importantly, I leveled up through practice, feedback from professors and collaboration with talented classmates. 

Favorite recent project
The branding package for CoMotion 2026, a student-led motion design conference hosted at SCAD. I served as co-creative director and worked alongside a team of more than 40 creatives to develop the conference's visual identity and motion system. Deliverables included an opening title sequence, a fully designed website, social media assets, interactive installations, posters, merch and more.

The theme was ‘Energy in Flux’, and I had the chance to lean into my scientific background to visually represent how energy moves and transforms between mechanics, optics and sound, converging into human emotion. It was really special because it allowed me to go full scientist mode. But more than anything, I am proud of the people and collaboration behind it – the best work happens when many talented people come together.

A day in the life
I am still working on having a more consistent daily routine, but usually a normal day starts with a nice breakfast, then I head over to work where I spend most of my day designing, collaborating, getting feedback and learning from the people around me. There is usually a lot of coffee and snacks involved.

After work, I like to work out, make dinner and decompress. On weekends, I try to get out and explore. I love finding new coffee shops, bookstores and museums around the neighborhood.

A starter pack for my job:

How I got here

Starting my creative journey
Growing up, I thought I was going to be a researcher and that creativity would remain a hobby. I ended up becoming a doctor, graduating with a PhD in neuroscience; but the more I thought about it, the less I could see myself in that environment moving forward. I decided to take a leap and pursue my passion for creativity and design. 

During my PhD, I started learning more about the motion design industry, gaining skills and growing my creative community. After graduation, I was lucky to find Gunner School, where I had the opportunity to sit in the Duolingo studio and receive feedback from professional artists. It was a life-changing experience that solidified what I wanted: to find a studio where I could grow as a creative, sit side-by-side with talented creatives and build my work family. Spoiler alert: that’s exactly what I am doing today.

Landing my first few jobs, clients and/or commissions
First, I had to take the time to really grow as a designer and level up my skills. It’s important to build a portfolio that you are proud of and that represents who you aspire to be as a designer.

I learned pretty quickly that making the work is only part of the process – you also have to let people see it. A lot of my early opportunities came from putting my work out there and being willing to reach out. Every conversation helped me land my current role, from getting key feedback to opening doors I never imagined possible.

Biggest challenges along the way
Giving myself permission to start again, and learning how to see my unconventional background as my biggest strength rather than a weakness. Going from having a PhD and an established professional identity in science to learning design and motion from the ground up was humbling. There were definitely moments where I questioned whether I had made the right decision.

I had to remind myself that everyone is on their own path, and that comparing myself to others makes no sense. Instead, I tried to use other people’s work as inspiration rather than a measure of my own progress.

Everyday skills I’ve found helpful for my creative work:
Curiosity is my number one. I’m always asking questions and looking for unconventional inspiration. Next, being able to communicate clearly. Trust me, after defending a dissertation, you can go through any presentation. Learning how to listen, give and receive feedback, and advocate for an idea has been invaluable. Finally, experimentation. I try not to become too attached to the first idea. Sometimes the most interesting direction comes from taking a wrong turn and seeing where it leads.

My social media and self-promotion vibe is…
My social media is a place where I document my creative journey. I share work I am proud of (almost like a portfolio), alongside the process, things I’m learning and projects that genuinely excite me.

My biggest advice is to start before you feel ready – just put it out there. You never know who might see your work or what conversation it might spark. Be genuine and share the things you care about.

Three things I've found useful in my career:

My greatest learnings when it comes to making money and supporting myself as a creative:
Building a creative career takes time. There can be pressure to have everything figured out immediately, but sometimes you need work that supports you while you build toward the work you really want to be doing.

I’ve also learned to value my time and skills. Whether you’re freelancing or working full-time, understanding what your work is worth and communicating that clearly is important.

Advice

My most useful career tips
The best advice I can give is: it’s never too late to follow your creative dreams. Don’t let the timeline you think you’re supposed to follow stop you from pursuing what you actually want. I started my creative career after earning a PhD in neuroscience. For a long time, I thought I had missed my chance to become a designer because I had already spent so many years doing something else. I eventually realized that there is no such thing as being ‘too late’. Your previous experiences don’t disappear when you change direction; they become part of your perspective. Don’t be afraid to start over.

Where I go to feel connected as a creative
I love following studios and artists online, but nothing replaces being around other creatives and having conversations about the work in real life. I love attending as many creative events as I can. Some of my favorites are OFFFMX, Adobe MAX, Camp Mograph, DASH Bash and, of course, SCAD’s CoMotion.

I think the most important thing is to put yourself in places where you can meet people who are curious about the same things as you. Your creative community can become one of your biggest sources of inspiration, encouragement and opportunity.

What I'd say to someone looking to get into a similar role