(This post was written by Nolan Harrington, STS Futures Lab undergraduate)
Two students from the STS Futures Lab had the opportunity to attend the 2019 SEEShop Conference in Helsinki, Finland. Sam Kodua and Nolan Harrington presented two different topics with lab advisors Dr. York and Dr. Conley. Sam and Nolan arrived in Finland during the evening – just in time for dinner with the advisors and other SEEShop attendees.
(Left to right) Sam Kodua, Dr. Emily York, Nolan Harrington, Dr. Shannon Conley
On day two, the conference began. The day consisted of talks on Imitation Games and cultural identities. Nolan presented with Dr. Conley a topic titled Negotiating Expertise, Trust, and Identity in a European Union, Catholic, Island Nation: A Case Study in the Governance of Assisted Reproductive Technology in Malta. Discussion following talks was always very constructive and insightful. This day concluded with a celebration for the launch of a SEESHOP collection edited by Dr. Dave Caudill, Dr. Michael Gorman, Dr. Martin Weinel, and JMU’s own Dr. Shannon Conley. Later, Sam and Nolan had an opportunity to explore the city of Helsinki, including the world-renowned Oodi Library and other busy streets.
The streets of Helsinki
Day two consisted of talks regarding SEE theory, law, medicine, forensics, and climate. This day concluded with a group excursion to a historic Finnish Island with a military fort. This fort, Suomenlinna, was a strategic holding for Sweden and Russia during times of war due to its place on the frozen waters. Today, the island houses around 800 Finnish citizens but remains an important heritage sight for the country.
Historic fort
Day three was an “Open” day which meant a wide variety of talks. Topics included the Online & Expertise, Science & Democracy, and new directions for Imitation Games. The day concluded with refreshments and conversation. Later that night, Sam and Nolan joined the fellow conference attendees for dinner out in Helsinki.
Presenting on expertise to experts on expertise
The final day’s topics included expertise in the media and dissemination of contributory expertise. On this day, Sam, along with Drs. York and Conley presented a topic titled Cultivating Interdisciplinary Trading Zones and Building Interactional Expertise: An Experiment in Co-Imagining Socio-Technical Futures With Contributory Experts. The talk showcased work in the STS Futures Lab regarding engagements with experts in the JMU community. These engagements use design fiction and scenario analysis to help experts and students consider possible outcomes of technology and as a means of anticipatory design and governance. The conference ended with a shared lunch in which attendees said their goodbyes and headed off for flights. Nolan and Sam had one last dinner with remaining SEEShop friends before heading back to the hotel. On their last day, Nolan and Sam got to explore more of Helsinki, including the Olympic Stadium and Botanical Gardens.
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