Program
Preliminary Program
The main program begins at 2:30 pm on September 16.
| Time | Kaleva Hall | Lumituuli Auditorium | Other Spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Graduate Colloquium | ||
| 10:00 am | Arts & Experiences10:00–12:00 What Are We Listening For Meeting point in downtown Helsinki TBA (Off-site) | ||
| 2:30 pm | Ethnography in the Age of Automation & AI | ||
| 3:30 pm | Refreshment Break15:30–16:00 Sief + Capitolium Common | ||
| 4:00 pm | Salon16:00–17:00 AI Shifting the Dynamics of Agency Kaleva Hall Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) | Salon16:00–17:00 AI Redefining Societies Lumituuli Auditorium Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) | Salons16:00–17:00 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 Reception17:00–19:00 Sief + Capitolium Common |
| Time | Kaleva Hall | Lumituuli Auditorium | Other Spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 am | Coffee8:30–9:30 Sief + Capitolium Common Visit these installations all day:
| ||
| 9:30 am | EPIC2025 Chairs’ Welcome | ||
| 10:00 am | Peter Sarlin | ||
| 11:00 am | Refreshment Break11:00–11:30 Sief + Capitolium Common | ||
| 11:30 am | Integrating AI in Research | Embodied Intelligence in Physical/Digital Worlds | |
| 1:00 pm | Lunch13:00–14:00 Sief + Capitolium Common | ||
| 2:00 pm | Redefining Algorithmic Intelligence in Practice | Futures Intelligence: Transformative Approaches to Future-Making | |
| 3:30 pm | Refreshment Break15:30–16:00 Sief + Capitolium Common | ||
| 4:00 pm | More-Than-Human Intelligences: Crossing Human, Machine, and Ecosystem Boundaries | Salons16:00–17:00 Datafication and Embodied Intelligence Palaver Room Crafting Ethnography Takka Room Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) | |
| 6:30 pm | How Can You Prompt a Dancer?18:30–19:00 Arts & Experiences | Ravintola Töölö (Off-site) This session will take place at the conference dinner; pre-registration to attend the dinner is required | ||
| 7:00 pm | Conference Dinner19:00–22:00 Ravintola Töölö (Off-site) Pre-registration required (US$90 for conference attendees) |
| Time | Kaleva Hall | Lumituuli Auditorium | Other Spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 am | Coffee8:30–9:00 Sief + Capitolium Common Visit these installations all day:
| ||
| 9:00 am | Arts & Experiences | ||
| 9:30 am | Pauliina Rautio | ||
| 10:30 am | Refreshment Break10:30–11:00 Sief + Capitolium Common | ||
| 11:00 am | Frameworks for Responsible AI Innovation | Collective Intelligences: Collaborating through Distributed Systems | |
| 12:30 pm | Lunch12:30–14:00 Sief + Capitolium Common Gesture as Raw Material Arts & Experiences | Palaver Room More activities and networking opportunities to be announced | ||
| 2:00 pm | Ethnographic Shift: Strategic Organizational Transformation | Leveraging Front-Line Intelligence in Organizations: Value in Local Knowledge | |
| 3:30 pm | Refreshment Break15:30–16:00 Sief + Capitolium Common | ||
| 4:00 pm | Salon16:00–17:00 Crafting Ethnography Kaleva Hall Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) | Salon16:00–17:00 AI Shifting the Dynamics of Agency Lumituuli Auditorium Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) | Salon16:00–17:00 Ecological Intelligences Palaver Room Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) |
| 5:00 pm | The Hidden Curators of AI: How Brokers Shape Technology17:00–19:00 The University of Helsinki’s Think Corner (Off-site) Pre-registration required (free for conference attendees) | ||
| 7:00 pm | Sauna Experience19:00–21:00 Off-site Pre-registration required (additional cost for conference attendees) |
| Time | Kaleva Hall | Other Spaces |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Coffee9:00–9:30 Sief + Capitolium Common | |
| 9:30 am | Intertwining Biological and Machine Intelligences | |
| 10:30 am | Refreshment Break10:30–11:00 Sief + Capitolium Common | |
| 11:00 am | Sarah Pink | |
| 12:00 pm | Closing Address & EPIC2026 Big Reveal |
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
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
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.