Cecilia Tham: How to Synthesize and Design Futures with Science
12:30-1:30pm CST
3137 South Federal Street 2nd floor
Chicago, IL 60616
How combining the rigor of science with the imagination of design can help us navigate the unknown and create a better future.
Futurists are often tasked with envisioning, preparing, prototyping, and rehearsing for the future—even when much of it remains uncertain. In this talk, Cecilia MoSze Tham will explore how combining the rigor of science with the imagination of design can help us navigate the unknown and create a better future. We call this "Synthesizing Futures."
From understanding emerging technologies and their impact on society to imagining new solutions to complex problems, Tham will examine how a combination of scientific analysis and creative thinking can inform our futurist perspective. The discussion will also address the importance of diversity and inclusiveness in futurist forecasting and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure that future scenarios are grounded in reality and reflect the values and needs of all members of society.
Cecilia MoSze Tham (PhD 2026) is the founder and CEO of Futurity Systems, providing futures-as-a-service to help companies and organizations build better futures faster, together. She is also a PhD researcher at the Institute of Design (ID).
A Harvard-trained designer, Tham was formerly a Social Technologist at Alpha Telefonica, Europe’s first moonshot factory, and a serial entrepreneur who founded multiple companies such as Makers of Barcelona, FabCafe, and allWomen.tech. She has served as an advisor to UN World Food Program X, SXSW, and the City Government of Barcelona, as well as private companies. Futurity Systems is the official Moonshot Factory Specialist providing services to the Secretary of State of Spain in the Department of AI.
Tham is the winner of the AWS Global Disruptor Award 2022, and WEDO Women Pioneer Award 2022 and has been selected as one of Forbes Top 40 Futurists 2022 in Spain, 100 Most Influential Women Europe, and 100 Women of the Future. Futurity Systems has won the Fast Company Innovation by Design Award 2022 as well as the gold Lovie Award 2022.