Queer-Feminist-Antiracism and Design for the Future

MAS.S61: Queer-Feminist-Antiracism and Design for the Future is co-taught by Professor Danielle Wood (MIT Media Lab) and Professor J. Austin Eyer (University of Texas at Arlington) as part of an ongoing research collaboration exploring dynamics of intersectional identities in the fields of complex systems (Wood) and theatre (Eyer).

The course launched in Fall 2021 with a focus on critical theory and continues in Spring 2022 with a focus on artistic practice from theatre, poetry, dance, and literature that exhibits Queer-Feminist-Antiracism.

Students are invited to propose projects rooted in their preferred artistic practice that present prototypes for a liberatory future in their field. In addition to the student-led projects, the Instructors will lead the class to conceive a project that draws from theatre, music, dance, and poetry to create Queer-Feminist-Antiracist Prototypes. The results of the Instructor-led project and select student-led projects were presented at MIT in June 2022.

The outcome of the work from the fall and spring terms included a performance and exhibition that invited people to experience visions of practices and products built on Queer-Feminist-Antiracism in engineering, design, architecture, science, and art.

For more information, visit the MIT Media Lab

Past Events

Queer-Feminist-Antiracism End of Semester Performance
Friday, June 3, 2022 / 12pm
MIT Media Lab
75 Amherst Street, E14, 6th Floor
Cambridge, MA

A devised theatrical performance drawing from the tradition of the choreopoem, this event brings together two guest artists Jennifer Harrison Newman (choreographer, producer and dancer) and Paul Lieber (projectionist), in collaboration with students and instructors of the Queer-Feminist-Antiracism and Design for the Future course.

A choreopoem is a performance that blends spoken word, movement, light, and sound to invite the audience to explore a theme or engage with characters – in this case concepts of joy and the rich traditions of Black, Queer, and Feminist cultural innovation.

MAS.S61: Queer-Feminist-Antiracism and Design for the Future Class
Spring 2022

Danielle Wood serves as an Assistant Professor in the Program in Media Arts & Sciences and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at MIT. Within the Media Lab, Wood leads the Space Enabled Research Group which seeks to advance justice in Earth’s complex systems using designs enabled by space. 

Wood is a scholar of societal development with a background that includes satellite design, earth science applications, systems engineering, and technology policy. In her research, she applies these skills to design innovative systems that harness space technology to address development challenges around the world. 

Prior to serving as faculty at MIT, Danielle Wood held positions at NASA Headquarters, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Aerospace Corporation, Johns Hopkins University, and the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs. Wood earned a PhD in engineering systems from MIT as well as a masters in aeronautics and astronautics, technology policy, and aerospace engineering.

Biography: MIT Media Lab or MIT Aero Astro
Website: media.mit.edu or daniellerwood.com
Social:  Instagram | Twitter 

Austin Eyer is an Assistant Professor and Area Head of the BFA in Musical Theatre at The University of Texas at Arlington. As a performer in New York City, he performed in six Broadway shows: Evita, How to Succeed…, Billy Elliot (understudy Tony), The Little Mermaid (understudy Prince Eric), Curtains, and The Secret Garden (Colin). His research interests include theatre for social justice, queer representation in theatre, creating space for queer and questioning students, HIV/AIDS education and prevention, and examination of gender normative pedagogy in musical theatre training.

Biography: University of Texas at Arlington
Website: jaustineyer.com

Queer-Feminist-Antiracism and Design for the Future is sponsored by the MIT Media Lab and the MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology. 

This class is an offering of the “Antiracism, Design and Technology Initiative,” which is being incubated by Prof Danielle Wood and Prof Ekene Ijeoma at the MIT Media. Lab.