Talk Title: Entangled Ecologies: Designing Bio-Digital Futures

Speaker:  Fiona Bell, Assistant Professor of Human-Centered Computing, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) ; Director of Entangled Ecologies Lab

Location: IRB 4105 and Zoom

Abstract:  In light of current environmental crises, the emerging field of Biological Human-Computer Interaction (Bio-HCI) focuses on building deeper relationships between humans, computers, and biological systems. The resulting bio-digital technologies are unique in that they integrate biomaterials—materials grown and derived from biological sources that biodegrade naturally in the environment—as functional design elements. This presentation will cover several different biomaterials that I often work with, including: microbial dyes derived from my microbiome that I implement as personalized, responsive, living interfaces; symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast (scoby) grown from kombucha that I utilized for biodegradable electronics and wearables; and 3D printable bio-pastes made primarily from local eggshell waste that I developed for digital fabrication. I not only use these biomaterial examples as seeds that highlight where Bio-HCI research can grow in the future, but also present my broader vision of designing entangled ecologies, where ecological, sociocultural, and technological systems deeply merge to foster planetary regeneration and flourishing.

Bio: Fiona Bell (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Human-Centered Computing at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), directing the Entangled Ecologies Lab. Intersecting human-computer interaction, material engineering, and biodesign, she is at the forefront of the emerging field of Biological Human-Computer Interaction (Bio-HCI), where she develops novel biomaterials that integrate with digital technologies to create sustainable and responsive bio-digital interfaces. Fiona is a 2024 Rising Star in EECS and an Expert Consultant for the international Biodesign Challenge. She publishes at top-tier HCI and design research venues, and further disseminates her work through art exhibitions and community workshops. Her interdisciplinary work stems from receiving a Postdoctoral fellowship in Computer Science, a PhD in Creative Technology and Design, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering.