Symposium

Inclusive Cities
New Methods to Understand Informal Infrastructure Access

May 28–29, 2024

Meridian Hall, Collegium Helveticum

Organized by

Yael Borofsky
Guest of Director 2023–2024

Isabel Günther
Associate Fellow

Details

Venue & accessibility info: Meridian Hall, Collegium Helveticum

Participation is free of charge but by invitation only. If you would like to attend the symposium, please contact the organizer, Yael Borofsky.

The keynote on May 28, the exhibition, and the reception are open to the public.

Over the course of two days, this symposium will feature a transdisciplinary array of perspectives from academia and practice on the opportunities, challenges, and ethics of AI and remote sensing for studying infrastructure in informal settlements. The participants will cover topics such as using remote sensing to identify informal settlements, using AI to study infrastructure, and what the future of urban infrastructure governance will look like with AI.

Program
Tuesday, May 28

13:00	Arrival to the venue and registration
13:30	Opening and welcome remarks Yael Borofsky Collegium Helveticum Isabel Günther ETH Zurich, CH
13:45	New Ways of “Seeing” Informal Settlements Seminar moderated by Isabel Günther (ETH Zurich) and Thabisa Mayapi (BM Section Informal Settlement). Ken Harttgen ETH Zurich, CH Arianna Salazar Mirandas University of Chicago, US
15:15	Coffee break
15:30	Sensors for Studying the City When it is “Smart” in Informal Settlements Seminar moderated by Yamkela Rongwana (PJS Informal Settlement). aul Kyoma Urban Action Lab, UG June Lukuyu University of Washington, US Yael Borofsky Collegium Helveticum
17:00	Electricity and Service Provision in Informal Settlements Keynote Xolelwa Maha PJS Informal Settlement, ZA Yamkela Rongwana PJS Informal Settlement Thabisa Mayapi BM Section Informal Settlement, ZA Followed by the visit of an exhibition on 3D settlements, curated by Yael Borofsky and Michael Walczak, and a reception with drinks and snacks (sponsored by ETH4D).
19:00	Closing remarks

Wednesday, May 29

09:00	Arrival to the venue and registration
09:30	Hyper Local: Mixing Advanced Technologies and Deep Engagement Case Studies in Transdisciplinary Research on Informal Settlements Panel moderated by Jess Kersey (UC Berkeley) and Thabisa Mayapi (BM Informal Settlement). Michael Walczak ETH Zurich, CH Federico Caprotti University of Exeter, UK Xolelwa Maha PJS Informal Settlement, ZA Judith Mbabazi Makerere University, UG
10:45	Coffee break
11:15	AI for “Seeing” Infrastructure in Informal Settlements Workshop with inputs by Yael Borofsky (Collegium Helveticum). Jess Kersey UC Berkley, US Thao Ton-That Whelan International Committee of the Red Cross, CH
12:30	Lunch break
14:00	Ethics of Big Data for Studying Informal Settlements Keynote Moderated by Tea Lobo (ETH Zurich). Michael Nagenborg University of Twente, NL Isaac Oluoch University of Twente, NL
15:30	Future of Urban Service Provision and Informality in the Age of AI Panel discussion moderated by David Kaufmann (ETH Zurich). Federico Caprotti University of Exeter, UK Thandeka Tshabalala City of Cape Town Peter Mwesiga UMEME Uganda
16:30	Closing remarks