What is the link between saving the Italian city of Venice from sinking into the waters of the Adriatic and designing a natural computing system for a starship? These seemingly unrelated and improbable projects are both featured in the portfolio of Dr Rachel Armstrong, a sustainability innovator scheduled to present her work at Scifest Africa 2014 in Grahamstown from March 12 to 18.
Armstrong uses her diverse skills as a qualified medical doctor who also happens to have a PhD in architecture to bring together new concepts in living technology. At Scifest Africa she will talk about and demonstrate how we may use the qualities of living things as a new kind of technology to find creative ways of solving sustainability challenges while at the same time benefiting our environment.
What this means to South Africans, particularly those living in less-privileged communities, is that by working with nature as a technology it can be harnessed anywhere and not just in rich countries. Most under-resourced local communities feel they have little hope of saving their environment because “the current model of sustainability is wrong”, says Armstrong. She argues that the current model is “an industrial concept that preserves existing power structures, inequalities and access to global resources”.
Industrial processes are inherently damaging to our environment and simply being more thoughtful about these harmful practices is not going to stop the destruction. Armstrong says we need to completely change the way we do things. One of the challenges presented by western society’s value system is that environmental goals are measured in terms of industrial efficiency and not biological productivity.
Yet she believes it is the creativity of biological systems that enriches environments and enables industries to thrive. Armstrong has therefore set herself the task of changing our current understanding of what it means to be sustainable. Her research proposes it is possible to work differently with our environment by changing our view of the capabilities of matter, which in the 21st century is “lively and paradoxical, not inert and obedient” — using a different kind of technological platform in the place of machines.
Armstrong is a Senior TED Fellow and co-director of Advanced Virtual and Technological Architectural Research at the University of Greenwich, London. She describes herself as a black sky thinker whose ambition and work push the boundaries of thought far beyond the blue sky. One example of her black sky work is as project leader for Persephone, a crewed interstellar craft to be assembled in Earth’s orbit within a hundred years. She is responsible for designing and implementing a giant natural computer that will form the interior of a space ship.
The craft or “Worldship” will feature a new approach to building materials called “living architecture”. The theme for Scifest Africa 2014 is “Into the space” and will explore astronomy and space sciences, but also other spaces such as architectural spaces. Armstrong’s research deals head on with a wide range of these and other spaces.
Science slammers at Scifest Africa
You probably believe that your research is worth shouting about, but is anyone out there listening? You have invested long years of study and hard work into your research, but do you wish that more people understood the significance of your efforts? You may soon have a perfect opportunity to explain your work to a mixed audience of about 200 people at one of three Science Slams planned for Scifest Africa, which takes place in Grahamstown.
The German Embassy in Pretoria has put out a call for “science slammers” to strut their stuff at Scifest Africa from March 12 to 18. Researchers, or slammers, are expected to present their own research linked to this year’s theme “Into the space” where the concept of space is used broadly to include inter-galactic space, the tiniest nanotechnology space or an everyday parking space as well as all the in-between spaces. This means that science slammers need only align their own head-space to make a good impression.
A Science Slam is a relatively new concept where scientists and graduate students are invited to explain their research to an audience of non-experts. Presenters have to keep within strict limits — usually ten minutes — and are required to explain their innovations without the usual jargon. This can be incredibly challenging for scientists because they struggle to compress years of complicated research into a mere ten minutes. Each presentation should be informative, accessible and inspiring so that a mixed audience of students, scientists and interested members of the public will be able to understand your research topic and leave the Science Slam excited about your work.
After the presentations audiences assess and rate performances based on a set of criteria, which include the scientific content, as well as the communication and performance skills of the slammer. A great science slam is a creative balance of good science and inspiring entertainment. The Science Slam concept was based on “Poetry Slams” and developed in Germany in 2006. The first Science Slam in South Africa took place at the Sci Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown in October 2013. Scifest Africa science slammers will have the opportunity to refine their presentation skills under professional guidance at a preparatory workshop on Tuesday March 11 to ensure that presentations are informative and entertaining.
Slammers will also enjoy complementary access to the entire Scifest and the winner will receive a prize at the end of the final “Science Slam” on the friday. Limited travel and accommodation costs will be covered and the winner will receive a prize at the end of the final Science Slam on the Friday.
For more information please contact Maja Clausen from the German Embassy Pretoria at 012 427 8934 or email [email protected]
This article forms part of a supplement made possible by the Mail & Guardian's advertisers. The contents have been supplied and signed off by Scifest Africa.