Post doctoral research in Architecture, Design, and AI

UmArts is leading research in Art, Architecture, Design and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Umeå University in partnership with the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program—Humanities and Society (WASP-HS), and the Centre for Transdisciplinary AI at Umeå University (TAIGA). In 2023, curator Sarah Cook will join UmArts as the WASP-HS Guest Professor in partnership with Bildmuseet, Umeå School of Architecture (UMA), and Umeå Institute of Design (UID).

We are seeking two outstanding postdoctoral researchers in design and architecture to join our new Art & AI project with guest professor Sarah Cook. We will appoint two postdoctoral researchers: one in Architecture and AI with Umeå School of Architecture, and one in Design and AI with Umeå Institute of Design. The positions are full-time for three years commencing on 1 September 2023, or by agreement. Deadline for applications: April 10 4pm CET.

The Art & AI project explores how arts research can contribute to the social and ethical discourses of AI and machine learning. We are working in partnership with museums and galleries, artists and curators to critically interrogate the aesthetics and politics of AI, collaborating with and challenging the algorithmic logic underpinning hardware and software development. We are interested in how creative encounters can allow publics to experience and engage with the ethical considerations and societal shifts that widespread use of AI will bring and feeding that back into AI development.

The postdoctoral fellows will develop interdisciplinary architectural and/or design research which uses and/or investigates the uses of AI in the built environment and public space, with research outputs in the form of contemporary art exhibitions, public events and/or publishing which drive forward the role of art and societal development. The postdocs will also play an active role in the UmArts programme, leading research workshops and reading groups. Each post-doctoral researcher will work independently on their own creative project with support from Guest Professor Sarah Cook, a supervisor in their department, and the Director of UmArts.

We welcome proposals for research practices that demonstrate how art, design or architecture can contribute to the social and ethical discourses of AI and machine learning. The research will generate a critical and creative discourse on the politics of space or the politics of AI and design, including: territorial divisions, decolonization, social cohesion, sustainability and resilience.  The AI research in this area includes but is not limited to: facial recognition and algorithmic biases, data feminism, climate change datasets and visual information, deep fake synthetic images, coding and cryptography, extraction of rare earth metals, and the transition from global to planetary thinking.

See below for further details and application portals:

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