Speaker 1: Professor Greg Hearn
Greg Hearn is Research Professor in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Creative Industries and Innovation. His work focuses on policy development and R and D for new technologies and services particularly in the creative industries. He has been involved in national policy on broadband issues for 2 decades and in 2005 was a member of the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering and Innovation Council’s working party on the role of creativity in the innovation economy. He has authored or co-authored over 20 major research reports and books, including, Public policy in knowledge-based economies (2003: Edward Elgar) and The knowledge economy handbook (2005: Edward Elgar); Knowledge policy: Challenges for the 21st Century (2008: Edward Elgar) and Action research and new media. (2009: Hampton Press).
The unbearable brightness of being digital : Questioning the future of technology
Digital technologies touch a nerve. They fascinate but also disturb. The disturbance is because the digital wave is everywhere, hitting all industries and changing how and where we work; how our children are educated; and, what and how we consume. Indeed, with their capacity to construct and distribute human images, digital technologies are perhaps inextricably implicated in the evolution of human identity itself.
Visions of utopia and dystopia run alongside these developments. Taken for granted notions of upbeat progress reminiscent of the industrial revolution compete with bleak futures scenarios based on ideas of technology and development out of our control – or in too few hands. But could it be that the position we need to adopt is neither utopian nor dystopian. Could it be that digital capitalism is in fact both utopian and dystopian simultaneously. This is not to say it is a utopia for some and a dystopia for others. Rather, could it be it is both, for everyone. Could it in fact be a marriage of heaven and hell ? In the face of this paradox we need an attitude which I call poptimism. This is an optimistic faith in popular digital culture to deliver cultural and economic advances whilst at the same time same time being prepared for the sudden collapse (pop!) of everything we thought was secure.
Speaker 2: Rod Snodgrass Brett Telfer
Brett is a telecommunications consultant with 20+ years of experience with telcos, service providers, government, public and private organisations. Focused on emerging technologies, services, business models and collaboration methodologies. Passionate about future possibilities - initiating and performing proof of concept for enhanced capabilities. Experienced gained across a range of company sizes from start-ups to large corporates. Comfortable in most environments from manufacturing sites to executive boardrooms, including interaction with key customers and suppliers. Past history includes draughting, computer network design, core network routing topology design, project and program management, presales, metro-wide wireless network designs, implementation and training.
Private goals include (a) developing technology and solutions that enhance conservation and decrease the rate of species extinction around the world, and (b) increasing quality of life through enhanced communication, access to knowledge, ease of use and development of functionality that adds value or saves time..