Strategist and trainer in digital technology for activism and expert in online privacy and security
Dirk Slater has spent the last two decades supporting advocates and activists in over 30 countries develop effective strategies that harness the power of data and technologies. Dirk has worked on a diverse range of social change campaigns, including empowering marginalised communities, defending the right to freedom of expression, and improving transparency and accountability of governments. His consultancy, FabRiders (www.fabriders.net), focuses on improving the impact of campaigns through the use of technologies, along with facilitating workshops, trainings and meetings using participatory event methodologies.
Heidi Lindvall and Guy Gunaratne
Entrepreneurs and Storygami founders
Heidi Lindvall and Guy Gunaratne are two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and are the founders behind Storygami, an interactive video platform which helps video creators engage their audiences and monetise their content. Prior to Storygami they ran a production company called Codoc producing important stories on social and global issues. Guy is a technologist and product designer and has spoken at many events about new media and storytelling. Heidi has a background in media and human rights and has been named among the top female entrepreneurs in Europe and was nominated as a one of 5 women of the future in the media category 2013.
Lydia Nicholas
Anthropologist, Data and biotechnology scientist
Lydia Nicholas is an anthropologist who works in areas where data, bodies and biotechnologies meet, focusing on futures and networks, often using fiction and objects to help people discuss invisible ideas, and work out how technology and culture shape one another.
In recent years she has explored information flow through interdisciplinary synthetic biology projects, researched antibiotic resistance for the Longitude Prize and perceptions of health information for the Wellcome Trust. Her research into lay understandings of big data took her to the UK Cabinet Office and the Science Museum. She currently works as a Senior Researcher in Collective Intelligence at Nesta, exploring new forms of knowledge production emerging from the collaboration of networked publics, institutions and organisations, with particular focus on patient-led research and patient organisations.
Journalist, educator and innovator
After a decade working in television news covering everything from the US elections 2008 to being in Sex and the City, Sarah moved into academia with the plan to change how we teach media and journalism. With a focus on mobile, global, collaborations, Sarah brings together students from all over the world to work on focussed television production projects. This is largely covered through mobile filming and editing.
2016 is set to bring huge developments in Virtual Reality and through this technology, Sarah has been developing immersive storytelling practices. This is combined with building immersive educational experiences, which will give the opportunity for a student to explore conflict, emergencies and crisis situations whilst building their own learning experience. Her three year old is her chief VR tester who loves exploring the world of dinosaurs.