BIO

Rasa Smite and Raitis Smits are artists working at the intersection of art, science, and immersive technologies. Co-founders of the Riga-based RIXC Center for New Media Culture, curators of its international festivals, and co-editors of the Acoustic Space / Renewable Futures publication series, they have gradually expanded their activities internationally and are currently based between Riga (Latvia), Karlsruhe (Germany), and Basel/Zurich (Switzerland). Both hold PhDs: Rasa Smite in sociology of media and culture—she is a professor at RTU Liepaja Academy and currently a researcher and lecturer at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK); and Raitis Smits in art—he is a professor at the Art Academy of Latvia. They have been active educators and guest lecturers internationally, including at MIT in Boston (2018–2021), where they continue to contribute by sharing their artistic research case studies. As an artist duo, they collaborate with scientists to create immersive XR artworks that combine scientific data visualization, spatial sound, and multi-sensory experience. Their works critically explore AI–nature relations and address ecological and climate change issues. Artworks such as Biotricity. Pond Battery (2014), Swamp Radio (2018), Atmospheric Forest (2020), Deep Sensing (2023), and Solarceptors (2025) have been widely exhibited and internationally recognized, receiving nominations and awards including the Prix Ars Electronica and Falling Walls – Science Breakthrough in Art and Science distinction.
http://smitesmits.com | http://rixc.org 

4 november kl. 13

Plats: OBS! MB313 Svarta Lådan, Södertörns högskola,
Varmt välkomna! (kontakta sofia.lundmark@sh.se för eventuella frågor)

BIO

Binette Seck is a social entrepreneur and tech visionary driving inclusive innovation across Sweden and beyond, and Sweden’s first female Obama Leader. She is the Co-founder of ChangersTech and a partner at iCog Anyone Can Code, leading initiatives that have empowered tens of thousands of young people from under-resourced communities with access to transformative tech education and career opportunities.

Her journey from humble beginnings in Dakar and Tensta to the forefront of Sweden’s tech scene has made her a recognized voice in reimagining how technology can serve society. Binette has been profiled by Swedish and international platforms, including CNN, PBS, and Disney, and was named Sweden’s IT Woman of the Year in 2021 — one of 23 awards acknowledging her leadership in innovation and social impact. In 2024, she was appointed Chair of Microsoft’s AI Advisory Council, tasked with guiding national AI-skilling strategies and fostering a value-driven, accessible AI movement. She is also one of the initiators behind Sweden’s most modern upper secondary school, situated alongside the newly established National Museum of Science and Technology in the very heart of one of Sweden’s most underserved neighbourhoods, Järva. Binette’s visionary initiatives have spanned groundbreaking tech education programs and influential community-driven partnerships with the Brilliant Minds Foundation—reflecting her commitment to building ecosystems where youths thrive, innovation is transformative, and future generations are equipped to lead and impact a better life for All. Read more about Binette here:  https://brilliantminds.co/host/2025-binette-seck/

14 oktober kl. 13

Plats: OBS! MB416 Wolin, Södertörns högskola,
Varmt välkomna! (kontakta sofia.lundmark@sh.se för eventuella frågor)