Leah Pistorius
May 13, 2036
The University of Washington’s Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering recently welcomed design researcher and scholar Dr. Laura Forlano for the 2026 Ramey Rosenbaum Distinguished Lecture.
Held on May 11 at the UW HUB, the lecture brought together students, faculty, alumni, and community members to explore the social consequences of technology design and what it means to “live well with machines.” During her visit to campus, Forlano also met with HCDE faculty and PhD students for discussions around shared readings and ongoing questions in design research, disability studies, and technology.
Dr. Laura Forlano, Professor of Art + Design and Communication Studies at Northeastern University, was the 2026 Distinguished Lecturer in HCDE.
Laura Forlano is a Professor of Art + Design and Communication Studies at Northeastern University whose work spans design research, critical disability studies, science and technology studies, and critical computing. In her talk, Designing Consequences: On Living Well with Machines, she drew from nearly two decades of research as well as her own lived experience as a Type 1 diabetic using AI-driven medical devices.
“Who will live with the social consequences of your designs?” Forlano asked at the start of the lecture. “And who will live with the consequences of the consequences?”
HCDE Chair Julie Kientz opened the lecture by reflecting on how the topic aligned with HCDE’s mission to center human values, needs, and lived experiences in technology design. “Our work is rooted in a fundamental commitment to how human values, needs, and lived experiences should shape technology,” Kientz said. “Today’s event is a perfect reflection of that mission, bringing us together to spark innovative conversations at the intersection of technology, critical design, and social impact.”
Throughout the lecture, Forlano blended personal narrative, critical theory, and creative practice to examine how technologies intended to support people can also reshape sleep, attention, emotional wellbeing, and human relationships. Using examples from her experience living as a "disabled cyborg," she challenged audiences to think beyond techno-optimistic narratives surrounding AI and automation and instead consider who is most impacted by the systems being designed.
The lecture concluded with a broader provocation about the future of technology and humanity: not simply what AI will become, but what humans want to become alongside it.
“How might we expand our understanding of humanity in order to offer alternative ways of imagining ‘AI otherwise’ — what it is for and for whom?” Forlano asked.
Forlano's visit and lecture were made possible through the generous support of Professor Emerita Judith Ramey and Stephanie Rosenbaum, longtime supporters of HCDE and the distinguished lecture series.