Illinois Tech, Chicago Humanities Examine How Technology Is Impacting Our Lives
By Tad Vezner
May 31, 2024
A slate of renowned designers, artists, architects, media personalities, and artificial intelligence pioneers converged on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus on May 18 to participate in a series of lively discussions exploring the symbiosis of technology and humanity in the years to come.
John Maeda and Anijo Mathew: Redefining Design in the Era of AI
John Maeda, VP of Design and Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft, and ID Dean Anijo Mathew explore the future of design in the era of AI. Will AI eliminate form?
Maeda gives an abbreviated form of his SXSW presentation and considers how AI can directly address functional needs and render traditional forms obsolete.
Ruha Benjamin and Alicia Bunton: Imagination
A Professor of African American studies at Princeton University, Ruha Benjamin brings a unique and interdisciplinary perspective to social justice and technology. In her latest work, 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. She highlights educators, artists, and activists reflecting new ideas to challenge these worldly problems.
Caro Murphy and Carly Kocurek: Interactive Experience Design
A presentation from game and interactive experience designer Caro Murphy followed by a conversation with cultural historian and video gaming specialist Dr. Carly Kocurek from Illinois Tech Lewis College of Science and Letters.
Walter Hood and Maria Villalobos: Architecture and Urbanism
Awarded 2023 Project of the Year (Architect’s Newspaper) for the International African American Museum, Walter Hood focuses his design approach on art, landscape, and urbanism. In 2009, Hood received the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Landscape Design. Hood is in conversation with Maria Villalobos Hernandez, Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology and Director of the Master on Landscape Architecture and Urbanism.
The day-long experience, hosted in coordination with Chicago Humanities, explored the need for thought leaders to explore solutions to social problems with the same fervor that they pursue technological innovations, as well as audiences’ interests in directly interacting with art and entertainment. More than 15 events took place at Hermann Hall and the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship, home of the Institute of Design.
ID Dean Anijo Mathew hosted a conversation with John Maeda, vice president of design and AI at Microsoft. Mathew added that the day-long series of conversations “provides an invaluable platform for these interdisciplinary exchanges, enriching our collective understanding of humanity’s role in a technologically driven world.”
Caro Murphy, a live-action game designer and co-founder of Incantrix Productions, discussed “immersive” interactive experiences and gaming. Murphy’s conversation was facilitated by Illinois Tech Professor of Digital Humanities and Media Studies Carly Kocurek, who specializes in the study of new media technologies and video gaming.
Murphy, who served as the immersive experience director on the Walt Disney World Resort’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser attraction, highlighted a “movement toward agency” in the games ecosystem and the increasing use of immersive experiences in the realms of art, entertainment, and commercial enterprises, such as interactive theme parks and escape rooms.
Ruha Benjamin, a professor of African American studies at Princeton University, highlighted why there is a need to ensure that there are no limitations on anyone’s imagination about technological advances—but also making sure that way of thinking extends to progressive social advances, too.
Her talk was facilitated by Alicia Bunton, assistant vice president of community affairs at Illinois Tech.
Associate Professor Maria Villalobos Hernandez, who is also the director of the College of Architecture’s Landscape Architecture and Urbanism program, moderated a conversation with Walter Hood, the founder of Hood Design Studio and the winner of The Architect’s Newspaper’s 2023 Project of the Year Award for the International African American Museum. Hood spoke about incorporating his concepts of design into art, landscape, architecture, and urbanism, and of the need to desegregate the individual disciplines.
“To me, it’s the collision of these different disciplines that allow for that richness to come out. It’s that space in between,” Hood said. “For housing, it is the site plan. But now with housing, there is no site plan—they’re all the same. They’re all on top of a parking garage, and there’s a courtyard in the middle.”
Hood also spoke of the need to apply equal effort to every project, no matter the client or neighborhood.
Visitors to the day-long festivities could examine interactive experiences on Illinois Tech’s campus and watch other moderated conversations and lectures from notable leaders in a variety of industries, including Jen Psaki, an MSNBC host who served as the press secretary for the Biden administration; George Stephanapoloulos, a Good Morning America co-anchor who was White House communications director in the Clinton administration; filmmaker, author, and visual artist Miranda July; trailblazing feminist and musician Kathleen Hanna; performance artist Marina Abramović; and many others.