'Disruptive Technologies'

Artificial intelligence might be the most disruptive technology that we collectively experience in our lifetimes. But disruptive technologies that transform how humans think, create, and communicate have a long history. From the invention of the written word and the printing press to the calculator and the internet, each innovation has reshaped knowledge and community. Join us for a roundtable discussion with colleagues from across disciplines, who will consider the threats and opportunities these technologies pose, as well as how the liberal arts can prepare us to engage with emerging technologies such as AI. The roundtable will be followed by audience Q&A. Moderated by Liv Gjestvang with panelists Ron Abram, Clare Jen, Sangeet Kumar and Karen Spierling. 

About our panel…

Ron Abram is professor of Visual Arts at Denison University, where he also teaches in Queer Studies and Journalism. He strives to connect the dots of sexuality, identity and culture past and present, while seeking meaning and retaining mystery and magic. He works in a number of processes including etching/intaglio, screenprinting, relief, photopolymer and risograph. Over the course of 40 years, He has consistently exhibited his work in over 90 local, national and international exhibitions. 

Clare Jen is associate professor of both Biology and Women’s and Gender Studies at Denison University, where she teaches feminist methodologies, feminist “practices” in the biological sciences, and feminist studies of science, technology and society. The interdisciplinarity of her work is of relevance to women’s and gender studies, critical race and ethnic studies (specifically Asian American Studies), and feminist studies of science, technology, and health. 

Sangeet Kumar is associate professor of Communication and Media Studies at Denison University, where he also teaches in International Studies, Data Analytics, and Journalism. His research interests and courses are focused on the global dimensions of digital and popular culture, with an emphasis on the global South and postcolonial perspectives. 

Karen Spierling is professor of History and the director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at Denison University. In both her teaching and research, she explores the connections among the many different factors—social, economic, political, and religious, to name a few—that shape the development of human societies and individual decisions across time and place, and particularly in early modern Europe, her region of specialization.