Indigenous knowledge and technology at MIT: "Is it wise?"

Delegates met with MIT scholars to discuss diverse domains, from the decolonization of space, to re-imagining Indigenous architecture, to the role of community-based governance in the genetic modification of invasive species. "This has been an incredible opportunity for Indigenous scholars and creators to connect with folks working in our field of digital and new media, as our decolonial tools will allow for deep connections through practice and critical thinking, transforming the field and the MIT campus," says Dr. Julie Nagam, associate professor of art history at the University of Winnipeg. Nagam co-leads the delegation with the Indigenous Screen Office's Kerry Swanson, who adds, "The knowledge with which we return to our home environments and institutions will greatly impact our work, moving forward into the future." In the opening session, Professor Wesley Harris, MIT representative for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, welcomed the delegation by emphasizing the need to include an "A" in the acronym STEM, to put the arts in the teachings of science, technology, engineering, and math. Throughout the week of workshops, lab visits, and pairings, delegates were matched with relevant labs and researchers across MIT to brainstorm their current works, including art gallery and site-specific installations, a Sundance-backed documentary film, research projects such as Indigenous Protocol-based Artificial Intelligence, and Indigenous-led emergent media laboratories and education programs. "We're headed toward a world where people are being partially programmed by algorithms," said Redbird.