ISSA Guest Speaker Event
Carter Perez
Sealing Technologies
Monday, February 17, 12-1pm
ITE 459
UMBC Faculty Candidate Presentation
Fiona Bell
University of New Mexico
Tuesday, February 18, 10-11am
ITE 406
Designing Bio-Digital Interfaces for Regenerative Futures
In light of current environmental crises, the emerging field of Biological Human-Computer Interaction (Bio-HCI) focuses on building deeper relationships between humans, computers, and biological systems. The resulting bio-digital technologies are unique in that they integrate biomaterials—materials grown and derived from biological sources that biodegrade naturally in the environment—as functional design elements. I will discuss several biomaterials that I often work with, including: microbial dyes derived from my microbiome that I implement as personalized, responsive, living interfaces; symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast (scoby) grown from kombucha that I utilized for biodegradable electronics and wearables; and 3D printable bio-pastes made primarily from local eggshell waste that I developed for digital fabrication. I not only use these biomaterial examples as seeds that highlight where Bio-HCI research can grow in the future, but also present my broader vision for designing regenerative futures; radically sustainable futures in which ecological, sociocultural, and technological systems deeply entangle to foster planetary flourishment.
Fiona Bell is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Computer Science at the University of New Mexico doing research at the intersection of human-computer interaction, material science, and biodesign. Drawing on these disciplines, she is at the forefront of the emerging field of Biological Human-Computer Interaction (Bio-HCI), where she develops novel biomaterials that integrate with digital technologies to create sustainable and responsive bio-digital interfaces. By bridging the biological and digital worlds, she strives to build regenerative futures for sustainable planetary flourishing. Fiona is a 2024 Rising Star in EECS, an Expert Consultant for the international Biodesign Challenge, and a judge for the iGEM Global BioArt Competition. Beyond publishing award-winning papers at top HCI venues, she further disseminates her work through art exhibitions and community workshops. Her interdisciplinary work stems from receiving a PhD in Creative Technology and Design from the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University. Learn more: https://www.fionaabell.com/