Emerging Technologies Research Lab

🤖🌏 "The thing we need to understand about the climate crisis is that we're not going to make our way out of it if we insist on maintaining the system of consumer capitalism that has got us into the problem in the first place. Consumer choices will not get us out of a big structural problem."

The Entangled documentary recently sat down with Michael Ruchardon to explore the complex role AI plays in conservation.
"The techno-utopian vision that we're given of artificial intelligence is that it is the way out of all of the crises that we face, and especially the climate crisis, AI will make work more efficient. It will solve energy issues through the wonders of the technology itself.

Another future that we might be facing is one where AI just drives us deeper and deeper into a hole. It pushes people to use more and more energy intensive technology.

There's a big case for slowing down the adoption of AI technologies and being more cautious in how we use them. We need that sort of targeted response to the use of AI rather than a, 'we'll just throw this at everything and it'll solve all of our problems for us', because that is simply not the case.

Professor Michael Richardon

Photo: Deforestation for beef pastures in Queensland, Wilderness Society

Our Adjunct Professor of Practice, Andrew Campbell, was recently published in The Mandarin, which discusses how often within organisations, the people with the most knowledge don't have a a way to communicate it through internal performance systems.

Who in your organisation knows what you need to know? OPINION | Most formal performance systems are designed to measure and report, not connect leaders with what people closest to the work already know and experience. That gap is where trust erodes and outcomes fall short.

Our Research Fellow, Fareed Kaviani has just connected colleagues at the Centre for Sociodigital Futures at the University of Bristol as part of his research into the project. The visit was supported by Monash Information Technology and the ETLab.

Congratulations to our Director, Laureate Professor Sarah Pink on being appointed to the Vice Chancellor's Distinguished Professor's list!



https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/inaugural-cohort-of-vice-chancellors-distinguished-professors

Our new report, 'Quantum Future Workforce' launches today.

The report outlines possible futures for quantum critical sectors which will be shaped by quantum technology and recommends pathways to get Australia ‘quantum-ready’. Through upskilling, collaboration across research, engineering, entrepreneurship, policy and communication, the approach is collaborative and crosses sectors.

The study was led by the Quantum Futures Collaboration - Leah Heiss, Sarah Pink and Debora Lanzeni in collaboration with Quantum Australia.

To read the full report go to our website:

https://www.monash.edu/mada/research/project/quantum-futures-collaboration/news-and-events/quantum-future-workforce

Photographer: Michelle MacFarlane

Our new report, 'Quantum Future Workforce' launches today. The report outlines possible futures for quantum critical sectors which will be shaped by quantum technology and recommends pathways to get Australia ‘quantum-ready’- through upskilling, collaboration across research, engineering, entrepreneurship, policy and communication.

The study of the sector was led through the Quantum Futures Collaboration - Leah Heiss, Sarah Pink and Debora Lanzeni in collaboration with s Adrian Gertler.

https://www.monash.edu/mada/research/project/quantum-futures-collaboration/news-and-events/quantum-future-workforce

This Wednesday we are holding a panel + workshop about Designing Quantum Futures.
The Monash Quantum Futures Collaboration and Quantum Australia + industry panelists will demystify quantum and explore what it could mean for our daily lives.

Space is limited but if you'd like to come along sign up to secure a place.

Designing Quantum Futures Join us for a workshop at the Victorian Pride Centre.

Frenia T.A.D.S. Nababan is a PhD student working at the intersection of social activism and academic inquiry. Frenia will join the ETLab for 10 months as placement from her usual campus at Monash Malaysia.

Shaped by more than 15 years of experience across civil society, academia, and government, her research examines how emerging technologies and digital transformations affect marginalized communities. She seeks to advance future digital health systems that are not only human-centered but also accountable to the communities they serve.

We look forward to getting to know Frenia!

www.linkedin.com/in/frenia-nababan-2574ba15

Welcome to our new PhD candidate Xiaoshi Zhang. Xiaoshi plans to research the future design of technology to promote social connections in smart age-friendly communities and will be supervised by A/P Leah Heiss, Dr Robert Lundberg and Dr Melisa Duque.



https://www.linkedin.com/in/ixiaoshi/

The latest report from the Scenarios for Future Living team has uncovered that emerging technologies are disconnected from our future climate-constrained energy reality, with increased vulnerability in remote and ageing communities who may rely more on energy. The full report by Dr Kari Dahlgren, Dr Fareed Kaviani, Dr Rex Martin, Dr Mike Roberts and Professor Yolande Strengers drew on 93 reports, expert interviews and industry observations to identify trends that are expected to shape the future.

Read the full report



https://www.monash.edu/scenarios-for-future-living/releases/scenarios-for-future-living-emerging-technology-innovation-and-development