NEGAR KALANTAR

Workshop | Events

2025

Biomaterials: Academia and Industry Convergence 2025

In February 2025, I co-organized Pioneering Biomaterials: Academia and Industry Convergence 2025, the 5th Annual Symposium of the CCA–Autodesk Academic Alliance at California College of the Arts. The event brought together leading researchers, designers, and industry practitioners to explore the critical role of biomaterials in sustainable innovation, featuring keynote talks by experts like Jenny Sabin and Lynn J. Rothschild, interdisciplinary panels, workshops, and a four-week exhibition of cutting-edge material research and applications that bridged academic inquiry and real-world implementation.

2025, 2024, 2023

SCULPT — Shape Creation Using Layouts, Programs, & Technology — is the successor to the former FASE track (Fabrication and Sculpting Event) at SMI. SCULPT focuses on original research in the theory and practice of shape design, sculpting, and architecture.

The track embraces both conceptual and physical investigations, including the realization of envisioned forms through mock-up constructions, sketching, computer-aided modeling, constructivist assembly, and 3D printing. Presented works may draw on algorithmic or mathematical foundations, and may also explore inverse processes, such as deriving clean CAD models from existing physical artifacts.

I joined the SCULPT organizing committee in 2023, and the track continues as an integral part of the annual SMI conference. Link to YouTube Channel

2024

Crafting the Future: A workshop on AI, Creativity & Rights

Who owns the works created with AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, Dall-E, LookX)? Are they protected by copyright?

To explore this complex issue, we organized a two-day workshop involving young creators and early adopters of Generative AI. We gathered insightful empirical data that sheds light on how the new social contract between humans and AI should look like.