Think: Digital Futures

In order to open up safely after two years of restricted movement, many countries are introducing COVID-19 vaccination passports. But how will this work? In this episode we look at the safety and privacy concerns of these technologies and consider how they should cater to the digitally disadvantaged.

Featuring:

Dr Manoranjan Mohanty, Lecturer in School of Mathematical and Physical Science at the University of Technology Sydney

Dr Helen Paik, Senior Lecturer the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of News South Wales.

Dr Katie Attwell, Senior Lecturer in School of Social Sciences at University of Western Australia and Lead Researcher of Coronavax: Preparing Community and Government

Producer/Host: Sophie Ellis

Music: Epidemic Sound

In this episode we observe how online hate speech can result in real-life consequences. How gaming and social media platforms are failing to censor dangerous content. And pushback from the community.

Featured:

DK, content creator and gamer on Youtube and Twitch

Dr Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, senior lecturer, Behavioural Data Science, University of Technology Sydney

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

With research assistance from Eamonn Culhane

Music: Epidemic Sound

Technologies used to read and alter the brain are being introduced in courts around the world. But how will neuro-based evidence revolutionise the way we view criminals? Who decides who is a good citizen? And how do we create a future worth wanting and not merely inherit whatever future results from new technology?

Featured:

Dr Nicole Vincent, senior lecturer, Faculty of Transdisciplinary Innovation, UTS

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

Music: Epidemic Sound

As communities become increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, how are architects using 3D-printing to ensure buildings are energy efficient?

Featured:

Dr Kim Loo, western Sydney GP, NSW chair, Doctors for the Environment

Associate Professor Hank Haeusler, Director of the Bachelor of Computational Design, University of NSW

Dr Tim Schork, Associate Professor, School of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

Music: Epidemic Sound, Blue Dot Sessions

Amazon CEO and billionaire Jeff Bezos recently flew into space, days after billionaire Richard Branson made it into orbit. Space has always been a frontier for innovation, but what has been achieved so far, by the growing privatisation of the space industry? What risks are there?

Featured:

Kurby Ikin, Managing Director of Asia Pacific Aerospace Consultants, National Space Society Australia

Iver Cairns, Professor in Space Physics, University of Sydney

Professor Anna Moore, Director, Institute for Space, Australian National University

Dr. Joshua Chou, Senior Lecturer, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & IT, University of Technology Sydney

Producer/Presenter: Soofia Tariq

Dementia is a confronting disease, with many barriers to early diagnosis and lengthy diagnostic processes. Researchers are developing new technologies in the hopes of easing that process.

Featured:

Sheila and Dale

Fernanda Tavares Vasconcelos Oliveira, PhD student, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Dr Jaime Garcia, Senior Lecturer in Games Development, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

Music: Epidemic sound

A huge repatriation effort has been ongoing for decades, in an attempt to return the ancestors and sacred objects of Indigenous people back to their homeland. We speak to two men who’ve helped develop a digital archive - to support that movement.

Featured:

Steve Hemming, associate professor, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, UTS

Daryle Rigney, a citizen of the Ngarrindjeri nation, Director of the Indigenous Nations and Collaborative Futures Research hub, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, UTS

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

Music: Epidemic Sound, Blue Dot Sessions

As we expand our mining of minerals for the green energy transition, we may harm the biodiversity of surrounding areas and cause other environmental consequences. How are researchers developing alternative technologies to extract metals like Lithium sustainably?

Featured:

Professor Rick Valenta, Director of the WH Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland

Dr Gayathri Naidu, researcher, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, UTS

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

Music: Epidemic Sound

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has jumped on the opportunity to expand surveillance laws following the success of Operation Ironside. But members of the cybersecurity community say new laws have been rushed and may encroach on individual privacy.

Featured:

Patrick Fair, commercial lawyer with expertise in intellectual property, competition law, telecommunications and privacy law

Eric Pinkerton, cybersecurity consultant, Trustwave

Dr Priyardarsi Nanda, senior lecturer, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, UTS

Music: Epidemic Sound

Producer/Presenter: Julia Carr-Catzel

As a parent, you would do whatever you could to ensure that your child has a good life. But what if you knew that your unborn child would have a condition that would severely impact their quality of life? What if you could, at the earliest possible stage, choose against this?

Featured:

Dr Peter Illingworth, Medical Director, IVF Australia

Professor Isabel Karpin, School of Law, University of Technology Sydney

Steph Agnew, disability and IVF advocate

Producer/Presenter: Toby Hemmings