Abstract:

The evolution of feminist technology frameworks mirrors a continuous engagement with challenges of gender, power, and representation in technological realms. This talk presents MetaTech Feminism, a novel framework that combines 14 diverse feminist perspectives. It does this through five central elements: Inclusivity and Intersectionality, Ethical Responsibility, Sustainability and Environmental Justice, Social and Economic Equity, and Adaptability and Forward-Thinking. Utilising a systematic review and thematic analysis, MetaTech Feminism reconciles theory and practice by tackling fragmentation in feminist technology (FemTech) approaches, while maintaining the unique contributions of individual approaches. This synthesis offers conceptual strength and practical strategies for technological design, policy, and implementation. In essence, MetaTech Feminism seeks to cultivate inclusive, ethical, and sustainable technologies, compatible with social justice, and confront developing issues, for example, in AI, data, and digital infrastructures. Through the integration of diverse perspectives into a unified paradigm, the framework provides novel opportunities for transformative feminist engagement with technology.

Bio:

Event details:

• When: 1st Oct 2025 13:00-14:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33A (Speaker will join online through Teams)

Abstract:

In this talk, Sampsa will introduce ideas from his forthcoming book Design Participation (September 2025, cover attached), which presents doable and demonstrated ways by which design can become a major contributor to social and environmental change. This entails a shift from seeking to define solutions to opening spaces in which others—activists, entrepreneurs, civil servants, neighbourhood communities, politicians (and so on) —can effectively elaborate on and find (re)solutions to the matters they are facing. He will reflect on over two decades of research, offering insights into how participatory methods can help tackle complex social and environmental challenges. The talk will draw from work in health tech, energy transition, and civic design.

This session should be particularly relevant to colleagues working in Human-Computer Interaction, Science and Technology Studies, systems design, and research that intersects with communities, policy, and practice.

Bio:

Event details:

• When: 23rd May 2025 15:00-16:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33A

Abstract:

We will engage with insights from a young Greek interlocutor who did not live the Cold War period firsthand. She relates to the legacies of the Cold War through radical imagination, projecting that it is only logical that the affects of the era have left irreversible psychological marks on the people who experienced it. The talk proposes a theory of psychic time and generational battles for belonging. There is a critique of history as taught in school textbooks when compared to the lived experiences of history in the present.

Bio:

Event details:

• When: 2nd April 2025 13:00-14:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33A

Abstract:

Since 2009, Dr Zarb has been exploring the evolving landscape of pedagogical research, collecting ideas from across disciplines and trends. In this acronym-filled talk, he offers a guided tour through some of the latest research at RGU — from grappling with the ethical dilemmas posed by conversational AI in education, to exploring “shadow podcasts” as informal learning tools. We will look at practical challenges, unexpected questions and at how rapidly shifting technology continues to shape how (and why) we teach and learn.

Bio:

More about Dr Mark Zarb

Event details:

• When: 26th March 2025 13:00-14:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33A

Abstract:

Tom will share some of his past work in interaction and experience design with objects, installations and space and why it has led to his current research into place, tangibles and design.

Bio:

More about Tom Metcalfe

Event details:

• When: 26th Feb 2025 13:00-14:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33A

Abstract:

My research focuses on democratising the development of emerging technologies. More specifically, by establishing accessible approaches for designing and building emerging technologies such as robotics, wearables, and shape-changing interfaces. To advance the field, my research focuses not only on understanding these technologies (e.g., their design), but also how to build them (e.g., engineer them), and how to innovate with them (e.g., application). In this talk, I will go into detail about some of the projects I have worked on around this topic across the fields of HCI, Design, and Engineering.

Bio:

More about Dr. Aluna Everitt

Event details:

• When: 17th March 2025 12:00-13:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33B

Abstract:

The Internet-of-Things (IoT) promises to enhance even the most mundane of objects with computational properties. Yet, IoT has largely focused on new devices, and so, has required households to replace their possessions to adopt IoT. Replacement brings disruption to the home and generates substantial waste. To address this, my research asks us to re-envision how IoT is integrated into the home and asks us to imagine, what if we could upcycle our existing possessions with IoT so that family practices are resilient to technological change? In this talk I’ll describe day to day family life, how families imagine IoT making home life better, a lightweight system to graft IoT onto existing possessions, and open problems in tangible interaction, DIY modification, and sensor uncertainty that need addressed to make an Upcycled IoT possible. Along the way, I’ll describe work my lab has been doing to make progress on these open challenges and the implications these have for making IoT both sustainable and capable of supporting resilient homes.

Bio:

More about Dr Kristin Williams

Event details:

• When: 12th March 2025 13:00-14:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33A

Wikipedia has become an essential pillar of global knowledge-sharing, but it is far from perfect. Gaps in coverage and skewed information disproportionately impact underrepresented communities, creating a biased view of the world. They also lay the groundwork for biased AI systems that rely on flawed data.

Come and join this webinar to hear from Abd Alsattar Ardati from University of St Andrews about the Digital Inclusion WikiConnect project that empowers participants with the skills and resources to close critical knowledge gaps, raise awareness about digital poverty, and build a more inclusive, equitable digital knowledge ecosystem.

Find out how curating accessible, high-quality content on digital inclusion, WikiConnect doesn’t just document inequalities—it actively works to reduce them, such as the role of shared knowledge in breaking down barriers to digital literacy and other examples of how small, deliberate contributions can ripple outward, driving meaningful change and empowering communities.

You can be part of this too! Come and join, and share this.

(Click to see original post)

📅 Thursday, February 13th | 5 PM – 6 PM (UK time)
👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/esK9Xznu

Speaker: Abd Alsattar Ardati

Excited to be speaking at this upcoming British Computer Society webinar—open to all! If you’re interested in digital inclusion, open knowledge, collaboration, or AI bias, this one’s for you. Hope to see some familiar faces there!

We need to rethink collaboration to close critical knowledge gaps on Wikipedia—gaps that don’t just limit access to information but fuel a vicious cycle of digital exclusion. AI systems trained on incomplete or biased data don’t just reflect inequalities—they amplify them [1]. As McDowell [2] puts it, ‘bias in, bias out’—a spin on ‘garbage in, garbage out’, highlighting how gaps in data can perpetuate systemic bias.

I’ll share insights from my participatory design research and explore how we can build a more inclusive, equitable digital knowledge ecosystem. I’ll also highlight how the WikiConnect project, part of The IDEA Network in Open Research at the University of St Andrews, raises awareness about digital poverty and shows how you can get involved.

Would love to hear your thoughts—let’s start the conversation! 💡

References:

[1] Hall, M., Maaten, L. van der, Gustafson, L., Jones, M., & Adcock, A. (2022). A Systematic Study of Bias Amplification (No. arXiv:2201.11706). arXiv. https://lnkd.in/ec-x6ei2

[2] McDowell, Z. J. (2024). Wikipedia and AI: Access, representation, and advocacy in the age of large language models. Convergence, 30(2), 751–767. https://lnkd.in/eUqUCvgu

Abstract:

The expansion of AI to the civic realm promises to enhance the local community. We discuss perspectives on AI for community engagement, including opportunities and challenges as we navigate this paradigm shift towards increasing automation.

Bio:

More about Dr Tiffany Knearam

Event details:

• When: 13th February 2025 12:00 – 13:00
• Where: Jack Cole 1.33B

VocabulARy: Learning Vocabulary in Augmented Reality Supported by Keyword Method

Abstract:

The “keyword method” is an effective mnemonic technique for learning vocabulary in a foreign language. It involves creating a mental association between the object the foreign word represents and a word in one’s native language that sounds similar (called the keyword). Learning foreign language vocabulary is enhanced when we encounter words in context. This context can be provided by the place or activity we are engaged with. This talk will present our work “VocabulARy” which enhances the language learning process by providing users with keywords and their visualisations in context using augmented reality (AR).

Bio:

More about Maheshya Weerasinghe Arachchillage

Event details:

• When: 10th April 2024 12:30 – 13:30
• Where: Jack Cole 1.19

If you’re interested in attending any of the seminars in room 1.19, please email the SACHI seminar coordinator: aaa8@st-andrews.ac.uk so they can make appropriate arrangements for the seminar based on the number of attendees.