Information

We invite applications to present at an interdisciplinary conference on the theme of “Science and Technology in the Anthropocene” on April 2 and 3, 2026, at the University of Cincinnati.

The conference is hosted by the University of Cincinnati Department of Philosophy, the UC Center for Humanities and Technology, the School of Environmental and Sustainability, the Institute for Research in Sensing, and the Charles P. Taft Research Center.

Our aim is to bring together philosophers, cognitive scientists, social scientists, artists, and other humanists to address the topics of AI and the climate crisis. The main question to be addressed is how to understand human experience in a world in which there are so many non-biological intelligent systems, the very existence of which compound the environmental problems we are facing with their hunger for electricity.

We ask that presentations be largely non-technical and accessible to a broad but informed academic audience. Our hope is that the conference will provide a timely opportunity for humanists working in different areas to engage on this important issue. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

• Algorithmic bias, justice, and fairness
• Environmental costs of AI
• Embodied cognition and non-biological intelligence
• Art, perception, and kinds of intelligence
• AI governance in the context of the environmental crisis
• Community-based and participatory approaches to technology and environmental futures
• The role of AI and other technologies in the (cognitive, biological, physical) sciences

Registration for the conference is free and includes lunches. Travel stipends are available for PhD students who present at the conference.

The following keynote speakers are confirmed:

• Jelle Bruineberg (Center for Subjectivity Research, University of Copenhagen)
• Sina Fazelpour (Philosophy, Northeastern University)
• Shen-Yi Liao (Philosophy, University of Puget Sound)
• Shannon McMullen (Art and Design, Purdue University)
• Robin Zebrowski (Cognitive Science, Beloit College)

Submissions

Please submit an abstract of 250 – 500 words prepared for blind review. Participants should expect to give presentations of 20 – 30 minutes, with 10 – 15 minutes for Q&A. Please upload a separate document that includes your name, affiliation, and contact information.

Please submit abstracts to humanitiesandtechnology@uc.edu by January 15, 2026. We hope to communicate decisions by February 15, 2026. For catering purposes, we ask that all attendees register for the conference no later than March 15, 2026.

Organizing Committee:

• Anthony Chemero
• André Curtis-Trudel
• Kyle Yrigoyen