By Lana Guineay
In May 2018, the doors will open to South Australia’s most audacious new public space – MOD., a futuristic museum of discovery.
The word “museum” may conjure up images of the past, but MOD. at the University of South Australia has a distinct remit.
Its aim? To be the country’s boldest – and South Australia’s only – interactive public science and creativity space, and Australia’s leading future-focused museum.
For Director, futurist Dr Kristin Alford, it will be the culmination of two years’ of “intense” and exciting work – with researchers, artists, suppliers, the public, students and government– exploring how science interacts with everything around us.
MOD. Director and futurist Dr Kristin Alford
Housed in the University of South Australia’s $247m health and research facility on North Terrace, MOD is geared towards young adults aged 15+, and its rotating exhibitions will explore the intersection of science with art, innovation and social issues to explore the possibilities of the future.
Science and tech is too often viewed in isolation, says Kristin.
“I spend most of my time thinking about emerging tech and new industries and how science might affect the future.
“But it’s about facilitating conversations and bringing science into other contexts, talking to diverse groups of people about their questions, their expectations, how they want the future to change.
“It’s about how we empower people.”
A rendering of what MOD. on North Terrace will look like after opening its doors in May 2018
With a PhD in Process Engineering and a Masters of Management in Strategic Foresight, Kristin was director of a foresight agency, consulting for governments, not-for-profits and business, and is experienced in changing the way we think about the future.
When she moved to Adelaide from Melbourne a decade ago, Kristin was one of only one or two other futurists, which has now grown into a close-knit group of more than 10.
Adelaide has been the “perfect place” to raise a family, Kristin says, and she is excited to be part of the current period of development.
Appointment as MOD’s Director 18 months ago, Kristin says it’s been a “wild ride”.
“It has been an intense period of understanding what we want to do, and how we bring the creative spark to make it exciting and different.”
MOD. Digital Exhibitions Manager/ robot “nursery manager” Simon Loffler, host of the robot workshop at Hybrid World
As a member of the advisory group for the inaugural Hybrid World festival , Kristin says she’s poured “a little bit of MOD” into the program.
Bringing together global leaders across space, engineering, tech and robotics, the five-day festival will explore emerging technology and the ways it intertwines with real life.
“Hybrid World is really aligned with what we’re trying to do at MOD…bring future-focused ideas and tech into the public imagination, making human connections across boundaries,” she says.
As part of the festival MOD will host a robot design workshop, where people of all ages will have the chance to get hands on– from programming ‘Molly’ the robot, to exploring the nuanced possibilities of robotics and their future.
With one foot in the future– what does Kristin think the future holds for South Australia?
“Our ageing population has its own opportunities,” says Kristin.
“How do we care for older people? Not just nursing, but how do we make independent living easier through technology?”
“There are a range of future-based industries exploring the area, from smart homes to detect movement, to accelerometers in smartphones to measure gait for early prevention around falls, through to a whole range of spectacular devices like biological and 3D printed implants.
There’s a lot in there in how we care for older people, with a mix of empathetic skills and tech.”
Kristin says the way 40% of us work day to day will be disrupted by digital and technological development.
“It’s not whole jobs, but considerable parts of jobs. Today, it’s about having input into how you create opportunities and build economically sustainable models.”
SA also has a large defence industry, and that will bring huge technological advances and benefits outside of the industry, says Kristin.
Across all of her work, at MOD, as a futurist and thinker, Kristin is dedicated to an inclusive approach to science and technology – and the impact it has on human lives.
“I’m interested in how we move forward to help parts of the population benefit from tech, and to make sure everyone is brought along with us.”
“I tend to be focused on those issues – rather than a sparkly bit of technology.
“Where it gets really exciting is where technology reflects the human spirit, where technology contributes to people having opportunities to live well.”
This month’s I Choose SA for Industries stories are made possible by sponsor, the University of South Australia.
Hybrid World
Wednesday 4 October – Sunday 8 October, 2017
Tonsley Innovation District
Hear Dr Kristin Alford speak at the opening
Get hands on at the MOD Robot Design Studio