Illinois Tech and Chicago Humanities Explore Intersection of Humanity and Technology in 15+ Events May 18
March 14, 2024
Illinois Tech and Chicago Humanities are joining forces Saturday, May 18, for a scintillating day of talks and demonstrations exploring the intersections of technology, humanity, and our shared future at Chicago’s only tech-focused university. Our Mies campus in Bronzeville, a design epicenter on Chicago’s South Side, will host more than 15 events in one day.
Featured speakers include Microsoft vice president of design and artificial intelligence John Maeda, author and Princeton professor Ruha Benjamin, architect Walter Hood, and game and interactive experience designer Caro Murphy, as well as former White House fixtures Jen Psaki and George Stephanapoloulos, novelist Jamaica Kincaid, and performance artist Marina Abramović.
In addition to a full day of speakers, attendees will experience the largest concentration of Mies van der Rohe buildings in the world, including Crown Hall—home to the College of Architecture—and John Ronan’s contemporary translation of Mies, the Kaplan Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship—home to the Institute of Design, the birthplace of human-centered design.
John Maeda
John Maeda and Anijo Mathew
In one of more than a dozen events, John Maeda, Microsoft’s vice president of design and artificial intelligence, will have a conversation with ID Dean Anijo Mathew on “Redefining Design in the Era of AI.” They will discuss how, with advances in machine learning, AI can address functional needs to the point where traditional forms are obsolete, ushering in a new paradigm where function dictates existence without the constraints of physical form.
Ruja Benjamin
Ruha Benjamin and Alicia Bunton
Ruha Benjamin, professor of African American studies at Princeton University, will discuss her unique interdisciplinary perspective on social justice and technology with Alicia Bunton, Assistant Vice President of Community Affairs at Illinois Tech. In her latest book, Imagination: A Manifesto, Benjamin argues that imagination gives us the power to challenge systems of oppression, such as hierarchies created by racism, sexism, and classism.
Walter Hood
Walter Hood and Maria Villalobos Hernandez
In another conversation, architect Walter Hood, who was awarded 2023 Project of the year by Architect’s Newspaper for the International African American Museum, will discuss his design approach on art, landscape, and urbanism with moderator Maria Villalobos Hernandez, director of the College of Architecture’s Master of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism Program.
Caro Murphy
Caro Murphy and Carly Kocurek
Game and interactive experience designer Caro Murphy will talk to Illinois Tech’s Carly Kocurek, associate dean of humanities at Lewis, in a playful discussion on the emerging field and art form of interactive, experiential, and live-action game design. Murphy has produced award-winning work in their role as immersive experience director for Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser exhibit, serves as co-executive director of the Playable Theatre nonprofit, and co-founded and led the Boston Festival of Indie Games for a decade.
Additional Activations & Tickets
Between Crown Hall and Kaplan, there will be art activations on campus, including the South Side Home Movies Project and a pop-up performance by Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade, Chicago’s first street marching band composed solely of musicians and performers of marginalized genders.
Tickets for Illinois Tech events on May 18 in partnership with Chicago Humanities are available for purchase through their website.
