Program

An overview of programming for EPIC2025 – the leading conference and essential annual gathering of practitioners across all sectors who use ethnographic and social expertise to drive decision making, strategy, and transformation.

Preliminary Program

Time Kaleva Hall Lumituuli Auditorium Other Spaces
9:00 am

Graduate Colloquium

9:00–12:30

Takka Room

By invitation only

2:30 pm

Ethnography in the Age of Automation & AI

14:30–15:30

Panel | Kaleva Hall

3:30 pm

Refreshment Break

15:30–16:00

Sief + Capitola Common

4:00 pm

Salon

16:00–17:00

AI Shifting the Dynamics of Agency

Kaleva Hall

Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees)

Salon

16:00–17:00

AI Redefining Societies

Lumituuli Auditorium

Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees)

Salons

16:00–17:00

The Originality Imperative in the Age of AI

Palaver Room

Interactive AI and Cultural Complexity

Takka Room

Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees)

5:00 pm

Welcome Reception

17:00–19:00

Sief + Capitola Common

Schedule Key

Locations (Columns)

The first two columns show sessions in Kaleva Hall and Lumituuli Auditorium, the two primary halls in our main venue, Dipoli. The third column (Other Spaces) shows sessions in smaller rooms in the same building or off-site activities in the city center.

Access

Sessions with a yellow bar at the top of the cell have no capacity limit. All registered attendees can participate.

Some sessions require sign up or an additional purchase during conference registration (noted in the schedule).

  • Salons and other limited-capacity (small-group) activities are free for attendees, but require sign up during conference registration.
  • Conference dinner tickets can be purchased during conference registration (one per attendee).
  • Saunas require sign up during conference registration; payment must be made when you arrive at the sauna in Helsinki.
  • Livestreamed sessions are accessible to EPIC Members. An active membership at the time each session airs is required.

Session Types

You know what a keynote is…but some of our session types may not be familiar! Here are some explanations.

Thematic Sessions

Topics and speakers will be announced in June.

Thematic Sessions are developed through a highly competitive peer-review and selection process. They include these presentation formats along with Q&A and discussion:

  • Papers synthesize expertise and debates around a current or emerging challenge, then present novel frameworks, methodologies, or techniques we can use to meet that challenge. With papers we build distinctive value and new opportunities for ethnographic and sociocultural work.
  • Case Studies go “under the hood” of projects to share persuasive evidence connecting ethnography to impact; innovative frameworks and techniques that can be applied and adapted widely; and in-depth accounts of expert craft that advance quality and innovation in our practice.
  • PechaKucha synchronize images and storytelling to explore, provoke, and inspire our evolving and adaptive work. A short six minutes and twenty seconds, they’ll spark your thinking for a long time to come.

Salons

In Salons, we gather in smaller groups to build collective intelligence about pressing or emerging topics. Hosts set the stage with key points and provocations, then participants drive the discussion, sharing diverse expertise and experiences. We come away with deeper understanding, new strategies and tactics for our work, and a wonderful network of thought partners.

Because capacity is limited for each Salon, attendees must sign up during conference registration (there is no additional fee). We will flex capacity as much as we can depending on demand for specific topics.

Arts & Experiences

Detailed descriptions of each installation or experience will be announced in June.

Arts & Experiences creates space for exploring intelligences through media, design, sensorial, or interactive experiences. They include installations, artistic presentations, and small group activities. Don’t miss these unique experiences!

Graduate Colloquium

The Graduate Colloquium is an opportunity for selected graduate students to present and discuss their work with senior practitioners, learn skills for communicating about their skills and expertise, and explore career pathways. Participants are selected through a proposal and review process.