rootoftwo: Advancing Innovation and Equity in Creative Technology

Stamps Associate Professor John Marshall and rootoftwo recently participated in several pivotal events exploring innovation at the intersection of creativity and technology. The Innovation, Culture, and Creativity Project (ICC) aims to develop a roadmap for increased federal support for research innovation at the intersection of the creative and technology sectors.

John was Co-PI of Design Justice: Using Justice Principles to Shift Power in the Creation of Community Technology in Detroit, a proposal for a National Science Foundation-funded workshop to explore and enhance innovation ecosystems through community-led processes. 

On September 13 – 14, 2024, the Design Justice Workshop in Detroit brought together community workers, artists, designers, researchers, and activists to imagine equitable, community-led innovation frameworks. Co-organized with the Design Justice Network, the workshop highlighted Detroit’s rich creative history and the principles of care, liberation, and sustainability.

In December 2024, rootoftwo joined the ICC National Convening at UCLA, the final event of the NSF-supported Innovation, Culture, and Creativity project. This gathering sought to synthesize insights from seven regional workshops and the NSF Creative Industries Summit, creating a roadmap for collaboration between creative and technology sectors.