EVA London 2024 Keynote Speakers
Katherine Green
Art, Community, and Technology: Illuminating Hidden Histories
Katherine Green is a social documentary photographer and digital strategist with a career that spans over two decades. With an academic foundation in photography from Central Saint Martins and Fine Art from Surrey Institute of Art & Design, Katherine has exhibited at venues such as the National Portrait Gallery and Kettle’s Yard. Her work, rooted in community and social history, leverages both traditional and digital mediums to explore and narrate the intricacies of community bonding and heritage. As a director of the artist-run Community Interest Company, Rendezvous Projects, Katherine collaborates on ventures that unearth and celebrate underrepresented social narratives through innovative and creative methodologies. In addition to her artistic work, Katherine has held leadership roles in digital transformation projects within the arts and culture sectors, with extensive knowledge of digital development.
David Hanson
Dreaming AGI into Existence
David Hanson, Ph.D., is a renowned roboticist, sculptor, and entrepreneur who has made significant contributions to the field of humanoid robotics and artificial intelligence. David is also an artist, engineer, and AI inventor with a background in neuroscience, including studies at King’s College London. He is the founder and CEO of Hanson Robotics, a company dedicated to creating socially intelligent machines that embody creativity, compassion, and empathy. Hanson’s background combines expertise in art, science, and engineering, enabling him to develop lifelike, expressive robots that push the boundaries of human-machine interaction. His most famous creation, Sophia, has garnered worldwide attention and sparked discussions about the future of AI. David’s work has been featured in numerous publications, documentaries, and exhibitions, and he continues to inspire and shape the conversation around the potential of AI to positively impact humanity. His research focuses on the intersection of robotics, arts, creativity and AI, exploring the role of imagination in shaping the future of intelligent machines.
Tom Middleton
Audio Therapeutics – The Evolution of Sound as Medicine
Tom Middleton is co-Founder of White Mirror – a London-based wellness innovation consultancy, and Lisbon-based neuroscience research and validation lab. Tom is also an award-winning sound designer, sleep science coach and pioneer in digital therapeutic and functional music for wellness and performance. Currently helping millions to sleep better, relax, focus and mitigate anxiety with soundscapes for Calm, Apple Music and Sleep Cycle. White Mirror creates apps, content, experiences and immersive installations spanning multiple industries where positive wellbeing outcomes are at the forefront of the customer/guest experience. With over 30 years in the industry, he is also a founding member of the ambient duo Global Communication, a trained Orchestral ‘Cellist, Pianist and Designer, touring DJ and known for discovering and being tutored by The Aphex Twin. He is a Mental Health Ambassador, sensory science researcher and archeoacoustics explorer, and expanding his passion and dedication to exploring the impact of music and acoustics on a Psychology and Neuroscience of Music Masters program at Goldsmiths.
Tom Middleton (whitemirror.studio)
Erinma Ochu
Machines Dreaming of Machines
Erinma’s transdisciplinary research practice critically and affirmatively considers the worldmaking potential of subcultures of creative technology and participatory science practice as a means to re-examine the possibilities for how life is organised. Trained originally as a biologist, Erinma also has a background in the creative industries as curator, commissioner and filmmaker. Currently they are Wallscourt Associate Professor of Immersive Media in the School of Art at UWE Bristol and a member of the Digital Cultures Research Centre based in Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studios. They are also a member of UWE’s Critical Race and Culture Group and associate member of the Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments. As co-director of Squirrel Nation Studio, Erinma is an alumnus of the Stuart Hall Scholars and Fellows Network, Manchester International Festival/ Jerwood Fellowships and a recipient of a JUSTAI fellowship with LSE/ Ada Lovelace Institute. Erinma is co-editor of the Emerald Press book series, Digital Materialities & Sustainable Futures, Emerald Press (and serves on the Royal Academy of Engineering Steering group for Technology Pathways & Meaningful Innovation.
Dr Erinma Ochu (worktribe.com)
See also the EVA London 2024 programme.