Mia Bennett

Zoom Link*: https://hku.zoom.us/j/95740395905 (recurring link)

Meeting ID: 957-4039-5905

Methods of Engagement: Architecture and the Humanities
Fall 2021 Discussion Series
Architecture, Urbanism, and the Humanities Initiative (AUHI)
Department of Architecture
The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Lecture Abstract

While critical GIS is a widely researched subfield within geography, critical remote sensing has received significantly less attention. As remotely sensed imagery and the “view from above” become more prevalent in daily life and in policymaking, more research is needed into the political and technological contexts in which satellites and satellite data are embedded. Unlike maps, which can be made by any individual, remotely sensed data requires engineering and launching complex satellites. As a result, until recently, national governments have dominated the field, although private companies are now challenging their hold. At the same time, satellite data is increasingly available for public use, which may engender new and more critical approaches within remote sensing even as big data becomes increasingly applied within governance. In this talk, Mia Bennet will examine the politics of remote sensing and sketch out some potential pillars for critical remote sensing.

Biography

Mia Bennett is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington focused on the geopolitics of Arctic infrastructure development and critical remote sensing.

*The total number of attendance is limited to 300. First come, First served.

This lecture is open to the general public.