Arch. Shany Barath (IL) is an Assistant Professor in the faculty of Architecture and Planning at the Technion IIT where she leads the D.DLAB [Disrupt.Design] research facility that develops data-driven computational design and digital materiality through the fabrication of and with materials. Merging academia and practice as the co-founder of SHAGA Architects, she is involved in large-scale commissions integrating computational methodologies with analysis and simulation engines for design applications. She is Co-PI in the HORIZON2020 consortium ECOLOPES developing building envelopes for multi-species habitation and was previously Studio Master and Program Head at the Architectural Association in London.
Sigal Bar Nir (IL) Independent curator, researcher of architectural landscape and culture. Received her MA with honors from the Metropolis: City Culture and Architecture Program at UPC, Barcelona. Teaches at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, and at the Integrated Design Master Program of the Holon Institute of Technology.
Ori Ben-Zvi (IL) is a designer and researcher at HIT Israel, focusing on furniture design and sustainability. Ori is a senior staff member at the department of industrial design and has an ongoing interest in sci-fi literature as a medium to explore the near future and the new state of extreme norm. Ori holds a Bsc.( H.I.T Israel) , Ma (research) R.M.I.T Australia .
Dr. Yael Eylat Van Essen (IL) is a curator and a researcher specializing in the interface between art, design, science and technology and also in museum studies. She is a senior lecturer at the design faculty of the Holon Institute of Technology, and lectures at Tel Aviv University. She curated many exhibitions in Israel and abroad, among them “Life-Object, Merging Biology and Architecture” at the Israeli Pavilion in the Venice Biennale for Architecture in 2016. Her book Rethinking the Museum was published in Israel in 2016. She has founded and directed for many years the Digital Media department in Camera Obscura school of Art and founded and co-directed the International Curatorial Program in Tel Aviv.
Lenka Hamosova (CZ) is a designer, researcher, and visual artist exploring the creative potential of AI and synthetic media. Based in Prague, Czech Republic. Initiator of the educational project Collective Vision of Synthetic Reality, which spreads awareness of available AI models and opens a discussion on the future use of artificial intelligence through interdisciplinary workshops. Co-founder of the UROBOROS Festival: Designing in Troubling Times. Tutor at MA Future Design, Prague College and Ph.D. student at FAMU, Prague.
Jan Klesla (CZ) is the representative for the European Centers of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and one of the co-authors of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. He has been involved in the digital economy, investment and regulation, especially in the field of technological disruption of traditional industries. He cooperates with Czech and foreign think tanks in these areas. He worked as an economic editor and subsequently as the editor of Hospodáské noviny. In Lidové noviny, he was involved in the creation of the economic monthly Index, he headed the economic section and acted as an economic commentator. Before joining the media, he gained experience in law, finance, and information technology.
Dr. Arnost Marks (CZ), vice dean at the Sutnar Faculty fo Art and Design in Pilsen (since 2017). Educated in Science and Humanities. Studied General Biology, Animal Behaviour at the Charles University, Prague and Social anthropology at University of Cambridge. PhD obtained in 1999 for work on role of know how, knowledge and technologies in post-communist economies. He has dedicated his carrier to promoting academic, research capacities and international cooperation in R&D and STEAM.
Worked as an strategic advisor to the mayor of Pilsen and also an acting secretary at the European Capitol of Culture (ECOC) 2015 in Pilsen. Collaborated with ECOC Wroclaw and Sienna. Responsible for various large scale R&D projects and especially for promoting and organizing support for projects and dialogue between the arts and scientific and technological disciplines (dialogue with Korean KOCCA, Ars Electronica, Holon Institute of Technology, National Laboratories US, National Laboratories Taiwan).
Founded the Institute for Digital economy. Established international committee of the National R&D Council (2013). Established and chaired the National Committee for Cultural Creative Industries 2014-18. Deputy Minister for R&D between 2014-18.
Jan Van Woensel (CZ) is curator and researcher. Since 2018, he works for UWB, the University of West Bohemia’s Faculty of Design & Art. He is the artistic director of the Ladislav Sutnar Gallery. At UWB, he initiates collaborations, curates international exhibitions and publishes books on subjects of art and social history. Van Woensel held curatorial and teaching positions in many institutions around the world among them at St. Lucas School of Art (Antwerp, Belgium), New York University – Steinhardt School of Education, ISCP – International Studio and Curator’s Program, and Chelsea Art Museum (NYC, U.S.A.); California College of the Arts (San Francisco, U.S.A.) and Duolun MoMA (Shanghai, China),. His project “UN-SCR-1325” about the influence of female-led social restoration in post-conflict areas, was recognized in the top three exhibitions in New York City in March 2009, by Artnet News, and featured a collaboration with Yoko Ono.