[Ssnet_list] "All that You Touch, You Change" | Happening soon | Op-Eds, Gregory Radnick on genetics, Karen Hao on the AI Empire

[Monika Sengul-Jones via Ssnet_list]

Welcome, new members, to the Society + Technology at UW listserv, and
apologies for cross-posting.

Hey everyone,

Yesterday and today, I've been attending the expansive Black Information
Futures Symposium, led by a thoughtful curatorial team and supported by
CALMA and the UW Information School. I left after a session on designing
technologies for Black memory work to write this letter to you. But before
I go on, I want to share a few notes. Memory work, at this convening, is
grief work. And memory is interpersonal, fragmented, and dear. So
technology is—and must be—relational and not extractive. Other technologies
of Black memory work include libraries, quilts, oral histories, and
poetry—poetry as method for metadata and preservation.
What’s notable to me is that the symposium is threaded and themed as a
gesture to Afrofuturism and African futurism, with a quote from Octavia
Butler’s duet, *Parable of the Sower* and *Parable of the Talents*, offered
as a keystone to the convening: “All that you touch / You Change. / All
that you Change / Changes you.” Before I head back inside for the final
session, I'm sharing below affiliate events and news updates that may be of
interest to you that are happening soon. Some are only open to the UW
community, but those open to the public are so noted.


*STSS+ Opportunity | Genetics Reading Group | Friday, February 27, 2026 |
10:30–11:00 AM | Communications Building (CMU) 218D + Zoom | UW ONLY*
UW’s Evo-Hub (a research cluster from the Simpson Center) is hosting
philosopher and historian of biology Gregory Radick on March 5–6, 2026. His
work is concerned with the history of genetics. The cluster has a reading
group to discuss his book *Disputed Inheritance*. It’s not too late to join
the reading group this Friday (online and in person) to discuss the last
two chapters of the book (“disputed” is a scholarly signal for “conflict.”
In other words, this is a high-conflict book that may have you rethinking
everything you thought you knew about genetics). Radick will also be giving
a public lecture; details below. Join the 2/27 reading group via Zoom:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/97651838914

Interested in learning more? Join the evo-hub-hpb mailing list:
https://mailman23.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/evo-hub-hpb
Or email Rose Novick (Philosophy, UW Seattle) at rmnovick at uw.edu.


*First Monday STSS Reading Group | Digital Shamanism | Monday, March 2,
2026 | 12:30–1:25 PM | Online via Zoom | UW ONLY OR BY INVITATION*
The First Monday STSS Reading Group is pleased to welcome Margaret Brady
(PhD, Social Anthropology & Ethnology, School for Advanced Studies in the
Social Sciences / École des hautes études en sciences sociales, EHESS) to
host our next session, where we’ll be discussing Liora Sarfati’s 2016
article “Shifting Agencies through New Media: New Social Statuses for
Female South Korean Shamans,” published in the *Journal of Korean Studies*.
Reading link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t6em-sb4Xa-GGG3T0tOekqSODYY2Ix8b9/view?usp=drive_link
Zoom link:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/96892037334?pwd=Co0Rq8Fg20Q0bmnua4PwkfezQ8VCmE.1

Learn more about First Monday STSS:
https://depts.washington.edu/stsst/first-monday/

*Op-Eds for Academics | In-Person | Tuesday, March 3, 2026 | 2:00–4:00 PM |
William H. Gates Hall, 115 ABC – Perkins Coie Room | UW Seattle | UW ONLY*
Op-Eds for Academics (In-Person Workshop)
A hands-on workshop for UW tri-campus scholars working on technology and
society topics. Participants will consider how to translate academic
research into persuasive public commentary. Hosted by Society + Technology
at UW and the Center for an Informed Public.
Register: https://tinyurl.com/inperson-opedsforacademics-uw


*Op-Eds for Academics | Online | Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 2:00–4:00 PM |
Zoom | UW ONLY*
Op-Eds for Academics (Online Workshop)
A hands-on online workshop for UW tri-campus scholars working on technology
and society topics. Participants will consider how to translate academic
research into persuasive public commentary. Hosted by Society + Technology
at UW and the Center for an Informed Public.
Register: https://tinyurl.com/online-opedsforacademics-uw

*Rethinking Science Education to Include History & Philosophy of Science |
Gregory Radick Lecture | Evo-Hub/Simpson Center | Thursday, March 5, 2026 |
4:00–5:30 PM | Communications 120 | UW Seattle | FREE AND OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC*

Philosopher and historian of biology and author of *Disputed Inheritance*,
Gregory Radick (University of Leeds), is coming to UW Seattle to discuss
his work and, in this lecture, make a case for a deeper integration of
history and philosophy of science into science education. Hosted by Evo-Hub
and the Simpson Center for the Humanities (S+T @ UW Affiliate). Free and
open to the public.
Add to Calendar:
https://simpsoncenter.org/events/event-detail?eventid=196619508&trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D196619508

*Empire of AI | Karen Hao at Seattle U | Thursday, March 5, 2026 |
5:00–6:30 PM | Pigott Auditorium | 901 12th Ave, Seattle | FREE AND OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC*

It’s going to be difficult to leave the U District early to attend Karen
Hao’s free and public lecture at Seattle U, cross-promoted by our affiliate
the Technology Ethics Initiative, but for the determined, this is not
impossible. If your interests in society and technology veer toward
understanding and dismantling the “empire of AI,” then you won’t want to
miss journalist Karen Hao discussing her bestselling book *Empire of AI*. A
book signing will follow.
Learn more:
https://events.seattleu.edu/event/empire-of-ai-how-to-reclaim-democracy-and-build-a-fairer-future#

*One year in—what’s next? | FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC*
Did you know that January 12 was our first birthday? In our first year,
Society + Technology at UW welcomed 2,000+ attendees across 26 events and
grew to 700+ subscribers. More importantly, you’ve told us this initiative
is fostering curiosity, connection, and opportunity across disciplines and
campuses. I’m thrilled to share that the Office of the Provost and the UW
School of Law have pledged support for Society + Technology at UW through
2026. As we plan what’s next, we’d love your input. Please share your
reflections here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdg9fa_d3tGU4NRNKKDa-qR5MtP0-SEPgNIgmWI80RMf489hQ/viewform


*Questions? Have an announcement to share?*
You’re welcome to post to this listserv or email me at mmjones at uw.edu

In partnership,

Monika

Monika Sengul-Jones, PhD (she/her)
www.societyandtechnology.uw.edu
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