Danish Institute for Advanced Study

How can machine learning on large-scale health data help us understand complex diseases and personalize medicine by treating humans as digital twins?

Moritz Simon Geist is a German artist and robotics engineer, well-known for his wildly viral videos like the "Popcorn Jazz Robot" and the giant drum robot "MR-808.”With a background in electrical engineering and a passion for hands-on sound creation, Geist's work is driven by a desire to interact physically with music. His robotic instruments are crafted using advanced technologies such as 3D printing, CNC milling, and laser cutting and have been shown all around the world.In this talk, Geist will give insight into his art practice, share how he stopped working with human musicians and started working with music robots, and explain why AI music robots will not replace human musicians (soon).About Moritz Simon GeistMoritz Simon Geist is a music producer and researcher working with sound, robotics and algorithms. Beginning his academic career in semiconductor sciences as a PhD student, Geist made a career shift to focus on art and music, where he now merges sound with robotics and algorithms.His approach to electronic music, which involves creating sound through mechanical robots, has earned him international recognition.In 2012, Geist's first work, the "Drum Robot MR-808," went viral, and he has since explored the sound making and producing of electronic music with robots and mechanics as well as releasing many influential and viral works.Want to know more? Click HereVenueThe DIAS Auditorium, SDU Campus OdenseThis event is open for all. No registration needed

On Flying and Sonic Robots: Interacting Bodies and Sonic Atmospheres in Human-Robot InteractionThis talk examines human-robot interaction through a sociological lens, drawing on preliminary find-ings from a research project on the use of (autoomous) drones in the performing arts. It investigates what unfolds when drones become co-performers, turning the stage into a site of technoscientific ex-perimentation. The work of Moritz Geist with sonic robots offers a parallel exploration of robotic agency in musical contexts. Framed by the material turn in the humanities and social sciences, the talk addresses questions of (non)human agency. The presentation investigates how heterogeneous bodies—human and robotic—co-create space, sound, and experience in the performing arts and considers how artistic practices become laboratories for rethinking everyday encounters with autonomous systems.Matthias Wieser is Associate Professor at the Department of Media and Communications at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. Trained in Sociology and Cultural Studies.Cyborg Identities: Living Machines and OthernessLiving machines in art and design extend to other forms of intelligence by mimicking, employing, and drawing attention to neglected companions. They also embrace new materialism and feminist posthumanist theories. These machines embody cyborg identities, which, as Haraway (1991) explains, 'do not dream of communities on the model of the organic family but rather encourage a plasticity of identity to highlight the socially imposed limitations'. They therefore contribute to the development of a posthuman coexistence.Fara Peluso is a bioartist, speculative designer and researcher. With a strong interest in Biology, she pursues a deep research on living organisms like microalgae, lichen and fungi, enquiring into their poetics and agency through a speculative design methodology.Entangled on Stage: The Robot as Performer, The Robot as PerformanceIn the intersection of art and technology, performing with robots presents a unique fascination, as the role of the performer is distributed between human and machine. This shared authorship and agency reflect a deeper, more intricate relationship—one that mirrors the evolving entanglements between humans and robots, humans and AI, and other life-simulating technologies in everyday life. Centering on the robot’s corporeality and the concept of techno-parenthood, the research explores the layered dynamics of these relationships and the collaborative artistic agency embedded in robotic media art performance, specifically highlighting impactful soft robotic performance.Andrea Tesanovic is a PhD researcher whose work emerges at the nexus of robotics, science fiction literature, media art and performance, and the sociology of life-like technologies. The Sounds of Softness: Robot Materialities, Imaginaries, and SoundIn this short talk, I will discuss elements of our work on the robot SONŌ. SONŌ began its life as a re-search prototype created to explore the potential of adding sound to soft robotics (robotics technolo-gies constructed from pliable and elastic materials). The work started from a simple and open ques-tion - what does a soft robot sound like? It branched off to involve a diverse set of activities including studying cultural sonic imaginaries, conducting empirical human-robot interaction studies, and developing an exhibited robotic artwork.Jonas Jørgensen is Associate Professor at the SDU Biorobotics (University of Southern Denmark) and co-director of the SDU Soft Robotics research laboratory www.jonasjoergensen.org.When and where:8 October 2025 from 13:00-16:00DIAS Seminar Room, SDU Odense

Could black holes, once cosmic enigmas, actually hold the key to unlocking the deepest secrets of space, time, and reality itself?

Med denne eksplorative workshop undersøger vi, hvad der kendetegner forskellige former for  kvindeligt entreprenørskab i 1800-tallet og begyndelsen af 1900-tallet – og om det kvindelige  entreprenørskab peger frem mod en alternativ kapitalisme, hvor succeskriteriet ikke (kun) er  materiel velstand og vækst.23. oktober 2025 kl. 14.30 - 17.30 i DIAS-seminarrum, DIAS-bygningen, Fioniavej 34, SDU.PROGRAM:14.30: VELKOMMEN V. LONE KØLLE MARTINSEN OG JEPPE NEVERS14.35: HANNE SCHAUMBURG SØRENSENKøbstadskvinder. Kvinder, køn og forsørgelse 1787-1901Oplægget diskuterer, hvordan kvinder i 1800-tallets købstæder spillede en aktiv og uundværlig rolle i byliv og erhvervsliv trods en begrænsende lovgivning, som de udnyttede eller omgik for at bidrage til familiens og byens økonomi.15.05: SISSEL BJERRUM FOSSAT OG MIKAEL FRAUSINGProvinsens pigeskoler – dannelse og forretningOplægget udforsker, hvordan tre fremtrædende skoleejere og -ledere fungerede som iværksættere og virksomhedsejere i perioden omkring almenskoleloven i 1903, som fundamentalt ændrede rammerne for pigeskolernes forretningsmodel.15.35: LEONORA LOTTRUP RASMUSSEN OG KRISTINE DYRMANNBryggerens Bagland: Køn, kapitalisme og netværkPræsentationen bidrager til revisionen af fortællingen om Carlsbergs grundlæggelse ved at betone  Laura Jacobsens centrale rolle i bryggeriets udvikling gennem hendes virke som opdrager, salon  værtinde, filantrop og brobygger.16.05: KAFFEPAUSE16.20: MAJA UHRE PEDERSENGlemt i historien: Afdækning af kvinders arbejdeVed hjælp af nye kilder kan vi uddybe vores forståelse af vigtigheden af kvinders arbejde i husholdningen og inkorporere deres arbejde i historiske nationalregnskaber.16.50: LONE KØLLE MARTINSEN OG TINA LANGHOLM LARSENKristiane Konstantin Hansens entreprenørskab på FrederiksborgOplægget foreslår, at Kristiane Konstantin-Hansen (1848-1925) med sin familiedrevne broderiforretning ”Boden” lagde kimen til det, der senere er blevet betegnet som en feministisk økonomi, og som hun sidenhen realiserede som leder af Frederiksborgs gobelinvævestue.17.20: AFSLUTNING OG OPSAMLING17.30: TAK FOR I DAG!SEMINAR I PROGRAMMET “CAPITALISM IN THE DANISH EXPERIENCE” –ARRANGERET I SAMARBEJDE MED FREDERIKSBORG.

Academic freedom is a cornerstone of democratic societies, enabling scholars to pursue knowledge without fear of censorship or political interference. Yet, in today’s polarized world, the lines between freedom of speech and freedom of research are being tested like never before.At the same time, the European research funding landscape has undergone a profound transformation. Universities now find themselves navigating complex terrain: public backlash against controversial findings, internal debates about the limits of expression, and the growing emphasis on impact and innovation from funding bodies like the European Research Council (ERC).As Europe strives to close the ‘innovation gap’ and boost global competitiveness, how do we ensure that academic freedom remains protected and meaningful?This panel debate will examine the evolving relationship between academic freedom and societal responsibility, exploring questions like:[list][*]What distinguishes freedom of research from freedom of speech, and where do they overlap?[*]How can researchers at all career stages navigate a funding environment increasingly focused on deliverables?[*]What should institutions do when research challenges dominant narratives or provokes public controversy?[*]How can academic discourse remain both free and ethically grounded?[/list]Join us for a thought-provoking discussion where DIAS Chairs and SDU’s Honorary Doctors of 2025 will delve into the numerous dimensions of academic freedom.ModeratorsChristine Stabell Benn, Professor at the Department of Clinical Research and DIAS Chair of Health Sciences.Julius Koschnick, Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics and DIAS Fellow of Business and Social Sciences.When and whereThursday 30 October 15.00-16.30 - followed by a receptionDIAS Auditorium, SDU Odense Limited seating - registration requiredSign up here by 21 October

In this Wild Wednesday program, DIAS Chairs Fabrizio Montesi (computer science, IMADA) and Claes de Vreese (political communication, DDC) unpack their radical commitment to interdisciplinary  research. What it is, what they have learned from successes and failures, and what steps are necessary (and planned) going forward. They will challenge and engage with the DIAS community on this approach using a number of propositions for discussion.

This lecture will explore the evolution and impact of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study over the past thirty years and how it has shaped our understanding of global health patterns, from tracking mortality and disability to revealing shifting trends in diseases, injuries, and risk factors worldwide. We will discuss key insights that have shaped policy and research, highlight the study’s influence on public health priorities, and examine emerging challenges and opportunities for the next generation of global health measurement About the speakerEmmanela Gakidou is Professor and Associate Chair for Academic Programs at the Department of Health Metrics Sciences, and Senior Director of Organizational Development and Training at IHME. As a quantitative methodologist, she has played a key role in the measurement of the health effects of some of the largest risk factors in the Global Burden of Disease Study, including violence against children and women, alcohol, tobacco and obesity, as well as measuring the impact of key prevention and treatment interventions. She is also leading the work on measuring the burden of disease that is attributable to social determinants of health, which will start by illuminating the impact of education on health. She is passionate about expanding the uptake of gold-standard methodologies in global health research and promoting the use of sound evidence to drive effective health policies through investing in the next generation of global health leaders.VenueDIAS Auditorium, Krogene VSDU Campus OdenseOpen for all - no registration neeed

This lecture will provide some historical perspective on the rise of protectionism in today’s world, drawing on evidence from the mercantilist period of the early modern period, as well as the 19th and 20th centuries.