Perfect for…

Eccentric engineers, environmentally-conscious technologists, coders with a sense of humour, digital activists 

Why’s it interesting?

In the about section on her website, Tega Brain describes herself as ‘born when atmospheric CO2 was below 350ppm’.  

That tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the Australian artist and environmental engineer, whose brand of playful, technologically-driven environmental activism is best summarised by the title of her 2023 PhD, Eccentric Engineering. From a (wildly popular) online smell-based dating service to websites and servers controlled by solar panels, her work challenges established norms and trends, inviting us to think of alternative ways to harness technology.

‘Questions of Automation’ is a special audiovisual lecture that invites us to re-examine the computer networks and automated processes that are increasingly part of our day-to-day lives. What if instead of 24/7 availability and ever-more responsive technology, we embraced intermittency and uncertainty, aligning ourself with natural cycles?

You’ll like this if you like…

Alternative visions of technology, decelerationism, zero growth strategies, environmentalism with a subversive sense of humour