Our Professor Dr. Jane Norris invited Kit Kuksenok to give our class, Sustainable and Ethical Computing, a guest lecture. The lecture titled “Excess in Computing” allowed us to reflect on excess in the world of technology and computing. Kit’s insight helped us to see computing from a different lens, a lens where we engage with computing itself and reflect on the impact of technology.
Kit is a Berlin-based researcher and technologist with extensive knowledge in numerous fields and holds a MSci (2014) and a PhD (2016) in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Washington. Their career experience includes lecturing in computing with a background in applied mathematics, computational modeling, and years of teaching experience.
During the lecture, Kit urged us to re-evaluate the rhetoric that surrounds technology. This involves the terms we use, the intentions behind them, and the unspoken promises that tech often carries. They mentioned their passion for reading and writing science fiction and how it relates to computing and expressed their interest in language and the way words in a technical context shape the way we view things. Kit explained that focusing on language helps us to explore the gray areas of governance in computing. These are areas that are easy to understand technically but difficult to think about ethically. As students, we were encouraged to look deeper into the meanings of terms we might normally overlook in technology. Another interesting part of the presentation was Kit’s work and research on self-tracking. They offered their take on how these systems try to empower users with data about their bodies and behaviors, but they often lead to a paradox. This paradox is a desire for control that can change into a sense of being controlled by the very technology meant to assist our goals. Additionally, the presentation emphasized the “slippery” nature of technology. Kit explained that this makes it hard to really understand what these terms mean. A lack of understanding also makes it difficult to hold technology accountable.
What really resonated with me during this presentation was the part about creative coding. Kit emphasized that it is more than traditional programming, but the ability to create new meanings through limited inputs. “Combinatorial gestures,” as they put it, lets us see what coding can be, beyond software engineering. It was a refreshing take on programming and its creative potential. It allowed me to see AI and programming as an art, as a tool for creating meaning, not just a way to solve problems in a classroom. The lecture also discussed “emergence” in AI, which is how some unpredictable behaviors in AI systems are not flaws but can be features that can be positive. This perspective offered a take on AI’s potential when used in an ethical and sustainable way. The lecture ended with a lively Q&A, where we had the opportunity to ask questions about AI, our future career opportunities and concepts we have learned in our various courses. We were encouraged to view our education as just the beginning and to keep learning even after graduation.
I highly enjoyed this lecture, and I am sure other students in my class enjoyed it too. The feedback from the students in my class showed the importance of inviting other experienced minds to speak to students. Many shared their thoughts on excess in computing and what they understood it as. Not only was the lecture informative, but it was also enjoyable, interactive and it created a space to reflect on the future of the course we were studying. Reflecting on “Excess in Computing” showed the importance of our course, Sustainable and Ethical Computing as we learn how to turn technology into something friendly to the environment and the world around us. For me, Kit’s thoughts on computing were an important reminder of my duty to question, and to never stop learning as I navigate my future in technology. I learned that technology and computing has its uses and importance, but it is essential to think about its disadvantages and how to avoid using it in negative ways. Such guest presentations bring great value to us students at Richmond as we learn that we need to be responsible with what we do with the education we are receiving.
