“Our relationship with our world is changing in that we now have the capacity to see things that were invisible, certainly at the global scale to our ancestors.” Melissa Sterry


E122 – Melissa Sterry on ECO FUTURISM, MYTHOLOGY AND CREATIVE SCIENCE

VISIONING OUR FUTURE


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About this interview:

How can critical situations give rise to a profoundly different world?

 

“Our relationship with our world is changing in that we now have the capacity to see things that were invisible, certainly at the global scale to our ancestors.”

In this episode, Amisha talks to Dr. Melissa Sterry, transdisciplinary design scientist and complex systems theorist Dr. Melissa Sterry is recognised as a world-leading authority on the science, technology, design, and thinking that could help humanity to build a better world. One of the world’s most high profile futurists, Melissa specialises in futures in the built environment, utilities, manufacturing, engineering, design, publishing, media and communications, she has contributed to groundbreaking projects and publications.

Amisha and Melissa explore possibilities for our future and how we can meet the challenges and potential of our time with a renaissance of science and creativity. Together they speak of how the adversity of current events is showing us our interdependence and forcing us to shed that, which is no longer working and to design solutions for cultural transformation and for a better life.

Melissa takes us on an eye-opening journey of examples how nature and cultures inspire her insights into eco-mimicry and how her latest research weaves together complex systems of ancient myths with the science of the species. She speaks of fire science and the importance of ancestral understanding of our landscapes, nature’s elements and collaborations for coming years as our climate and our landscapes are adapting to dramatic changes and our relationship with our world is changing swiftly.

We learn that AI provides profound ways to read changes to our global landscapes helping us understand what we are experiencing, how to work with it and how to build positive relationships with nature. She addresses climate skepticism and confusing theories on climate change and how our fear of change is showing up in divided humanity. She believes the less entangled in this fear, the better we will fuel future systems with vision, innovation and kindness inspired by our ancestors, in harmony with our natural world and guided by our North Stars.

“We have to have visions, we have to have a range of possibilities that we understand enough to know the sort of things we need to be doing to get there.” ~Melissa Sterry

 


 

A recipient of several international awards for innovation, creativity and enterprise, Dr. Melissa Sterry is a transdisciplinary design scientist, complex systems theorist, biofuturist and serial founder whose research and practice explores how emerging and anticipated near-future science, technology and thinking may help humanity to build a brighter future in the face of challenges including climate change, resource shortages, and biodiversity and virgin habit loss.

Her career largely spent crafting first-to-market concepts and companies, a chartered scientist, she has a PhD in developing architectural and urban resilience to major wildfire events, together with over two decades experience in delivering strategic advisories at board-level to multinational corporations, NGOs, and market-founding start-ups. Melissa is a visiting lecturer/fellow, guest critic, thesis supervisor, assembly member, scientific committee member, peer-reviewer, editorial board member, author, juror and keynote speaker to manifold leading international STEM, design, architecture, and arts journals, conferences, awards, societies, and academic and professional institutions.

Melissa is founder/director of Biofuturism consultancy Bioratorium® and its lab Labioratorium® [est. 2019], of research project Panarchic Codex® [est. 2018], and of biodesign for the built environment project Bionic City® [est. 2010].

Her past works include founding the award-winning sustainability think tank and collaborative laboratory Societás [2004 – 2010]; co-founding award-winning catalyst for rapid innovation in sustainable design, New Frontiers [2009 – 2010]; co-founding the world’s first online digital visual arts and fashion arts awards, Creative Graduate Prize [2004-2010] and Iconique Societás Awards [2007-2010].

 

To connect or work with Melissa, visit melissasterry.com

To connect or work with Amisha, visit amisha.co.uk


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