West LA Times

A UCLA-led project aimed at fostering connections among cultural, creative, and technology sectors will facilitate a nationwide workshop series to gather ideas that link research and innovation in these fields. Supported by an award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the workshops will guide planning for a national conference in December, hosted by UCLA.

The yearlong Innovation, Culture, and Creativity project aims to support the competitiveness of America’s creative sector while expanding and diversifying the country’s STEM workforce. Funded by the NSF's directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), UCLA’s project office will oversee a series of multidisciplinary regional workshops starting this summer. These workshops aim to bring together artists, institutions, and professionals working in both creative and technology sectors.

The initiative launched in January with a $1.3 million investment from the NSF. It will support seven workshops across California, Hawaii, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, and Washington D.C. Participants include researchers and artists working with Indigenous knowledge; academics; nonprofit groups; museum curators; storytellers; urban planners; entertainment and performing arts professionals; designers; musicians; animators; artificial intelligence developers; extended reality developers; among others. Workshops were selected through a panel review process following a call for proposals earlier this year.

“These workshops will generate new networks and connections and support participants in different places across the country to think broadly about new types of innovation and R&D support,” said Jeff Burke, professor and associate dean of research and technology for the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, who is also the principal investigator of the project. “The insights gained from these regional meetings will inform our national convening planned for December about how to better connect research and innovation in the technology and creative sectors.”

Jennifer Jacobs, UC Santa Barbara assistant professor in media arts and technology as well as computer science, serves as co-principal investigator for the project. Other UCLA collaborators include Lauren Lee McCarthy from design media arts at UCLA School of Arts & Architecture; Chris Johanson from digital humanities at UCLA School of Classics; Gregory Pottie from electrical engineering at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. The panel review process has been supported by the UCLA Office of Research & Creative Activities with additional backing from the DataX initiative.

In December 2024, leaders from these workshops along with representatives from government agencies, industry stakeholders, and nonprofit organizations will convene at UCLA for a national conference.

The overarching goals are to examine regional culture's role in strengthening innovation ecosystems while supporting America's creative sector's competitiveness. Additionally aimed is developing strategies to diversify STEM workforce.

The regional workshop topics include:

- Integrating Indigenous Knowledge: University of Hawaii at Mānoa on August 12-13

- Inclusive Innovation: TEC Leimert Los Angeles on August 17-18

- Integrating Arts into Kansas City's Materials Sector: KC Digital Drive on September 12-13

- Design Justice Principles: Design Justice Network Detroit on September 12-13

- Ethical Black AI Ecosystems: #BlackTechFutures Research Institute Washington D.C., September 13-14

- Indigenous Pathways: Creative Startups Albuquerque on September 13-14

- Dramaturgical Strategies for AI alongside NYC Performance Scene: Borough Manhattan Community College Brooklyn on September 28-29

For more information visit icc.ucla.edu/workshops.