Flowers for Agouti: Epigenetics and the Genealogy of Uplift – Ben Woodard

Stadtpalais/Online Theaterstraße 75, Aachen, Germany

Abstract: The notion of uplift has a science-fictional and social justice connotation: it is the raising up of one species by another as well as a historical (and often racially codified) way of speaking of how one group raises itself up above limiting structural conditions. While these notions seem disparate they in fact have a …

Bio-inspired Materials and Dreams of Inspiration – Michael Friedman

Stadtpalais/Online Theaterstraße 75, Aachen, Germany

Abstract: Materials are found at the very center of our life, situated in the complex zone between nature and society. In the recent decades, new discoveries in the natural sciences and in the materials sciences have enabled to develop new materials, so called 'active materials' and ‘Bio-inspired Materials’. These new materials are considered as entities …

Distilled, Extruded, Suspended: Lessons in Lifelikeness from the Metabolism of Mass Production – Hannah Landecker

RWTH Aachen University - Super C - Generali Saal 639 Templergraben 57, Aachen, Germany

Keynote “Politics of the Machines” Conference Abstract: This talk is about quite ordinary matters, such as the prevention of perishability in rubbers and oils, and how one makes a non-dairy creamer that lasts without refrigeration. Yet these are also extraordinary matters. The harvesting and remobilization of metabolically powerful objects and processes proceeded apace in the …

On the Origin and Development of Scientific Concepts: Light Rays and Lines of Force – Friedrich Steinle

Stadtpalais/Online Theaterstraße 75, Aachen, Germany

Abstract: In studying the historical dynamics of scientific knowledge, concepts constitute central objects. Their study, however, poses difficulties and challenges that have to do with their specific character as basic components of scientific thought: Much as in everyday life, they are constantly used but scarcely addressed as such. While we speak about chairs, cats and …

Life-Like Artificial Music: Understanding the Impact of AI on Musical Thinking – Nikita Braguinski

Stadtpalais/Online Theaterstraße 75, Aachen, Germany

Abstract: This lecture explores the impact of machine learning on the future of music research and theory. It argues that AI-generated music poses a deep challenge for existing theories: AI systems can learn to imitate musical styles without receiving any information about human music theory concepts, raising questions about the validity of those concepts. Additionally, …

Organising Life: Biocuration, Bio-Ontologies, and the Conditions of Academic Work – Sarah Davies

Stadtpalais/Online Theaterstraße 75, Aachen, Germany

Abstract: In this talk I discuss biocuration as a field of scholarly practice. In creating and managing data and knowledge bases, biocuration is essential to research in the biosciences, but the skilled human labour it involves is often rendered invisible to its users. At the same time, this ordering work is central to rendering scientific …

Towards Expanded STS? – Stefan Böschen

This event is part of our winter semester 2024/25 Lecture Series Expanding Science and Technology Studies. To take part either online or in presence, please write a short email to events@khk.rwth-aachen.de.

Cancelled: From IP and Cookies to IDFA/GAID. Towards a Historical Sociology of (Digital) Addressing – Ricky Wichum

Unfortunately, this lecture has been canceled due to health reasons. We will continue our lecture series on December 18. Thank you for your understanding. This event is part of our winter semester 2024/25 Lecture Series Expanding Science and Technology Studies. To take part either online or in presence, please write a short email to events@khk.rwth-aachen.de.