‘Human-Bacteria Interfaces’ Group among the selected final concepts for an Eco-Social Renewal
November 14, 2021
How we can prevent raw sewage polluting our rivers
January 17, 2022
Symposium on Bio-Futures for Transplanetary Habitats
Abstract Deadline: 15th of January 2022 30th of January 2022
Symposium: April 7th – 8th, 2022 – Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK) + Hybrid
Organised by Bio-Futures for Transplanetary Habitats (BFfTH)
Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE), Newcastle University, UK
Research in transplanetary habitats and habitats within extreme environments is growing exponentially. In order to understand emerging extra-terrestrial futures and infrastructures, there is a need for transdisciplinary research that can investigate the implications of integrating living materials and more-than-human life into astronautics. How can emerging biotechnologies be implemented in the design and mission planning to enable or support creation of transplanetary habitats and habitats in extreme environments? What new socio-political concerns or ethical implications should be taken into account? How can sustaining life off-Earth in the future help transitioning towards a sustainable built environment on-Earth in the present? The aim of this symposium is to serve as a catalyst in building an international network of collaborators across industry, academia and the private sector. The symposium also aims to support the development of novel methodologies to move beyond discipline-specific approaches in order to address and interrogate these emerging questions.
We invite abstracts to contribute a presentation to an international 2-day symposium (onsite and/or remote).
Potential presentation topics might include but are not limited to:
● Multi-species narratives and relations to sustain human and other-than-human life in transplanetary habitats;
● Use of biotechnology and bio-design to ensure and support safety, sustainability, habitability, reliability, and crew efficiency, productivity and comfort in extreme environments off and on Earth;
● Speculative ethics for companionship between humanity and other-than-humans within transplanetary habitats;
● Sociotechnical considerations in propagating and sustaining earth life beyond Earth environments;
● Innovative material-driven processes for the design of transplanetary habitats;
● Sustainable living on Earth through a holistic system thinking approach.
SUBMISSION
Abstracts should be a maximum of 500 words and include details on methodological approach(es) and results. We encourage submissions from all disciplines as well as experimental research bridging matters of design, science, technology and art based on the aforementioned topics.
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 15 January 2022 30 January 2022. A decision on all proposals will be made in early February 2022. Authors whose submissions are accepted will be expected to present at the April 2022 Symposium either in person or virtually.
Please submit abstracts and any queries to: bio-futures-symposium@newcastle.ac.uk
Learn more about the Special Interest Group and the Symposium here.
