Julie Legault is a Montreal-based designer-entrepreneur with a passion for translating complex technologies into accessible experiences. Armed with a B.F.A. in Design and Computation Art from Concordia University and a Master of Art from the Royal College of Art in London, she further honed her skills with a Master of Science from MIT Media Lab. Julie's journey has been marked by a commitment to making intricate concepts understandable to all.Throughout her career, Julie's innovative work has left an indelible mark. She collaborated with major entities and celebrities like Rihanna and Imogen Heap, leveraging her expertise to create smart materials, wearable tech and interactive art. Her impact extended globally, with her creations featured in esteemed publications and exhibitions including Wired Magazine, NYT, MoMA, ARS Electronica and the Victoria & Albert museum.Julie's fascination with translating complexity led her to found Amino Labs, an MIT spinout dedicated to making genetic engineering accessible to non-scientists and children through hands-on experiences. Alongside her professional achievements, Julie is a fellow of the Coaching Fellowship program for remarkable young women leaders of impact.Driven by her desire to bridge the gap between innovation and public acceptance, Julie continues to craft transformative experiences and products that usher in cultural change.
GGC: Prosperity, Equity & Access, Personal Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Biotechnology is going through a rapid evolution as it moves from the lab into our bodies and even to our kitchen tables. Since its digitization in the early 2000s, biotechnology has exploded into a playing field that now welcomes designers, entrepreneurs, artists, and even teenagers who are all learning, building and innovating with the building blocks of life.As the science becomes democratized, it is already starting to reshape traditional industries, economies, and even what it means to be human. In this unfolding biological world, we all have a role to play because what we do right now will affect everything that comes after us.In this talk:•Participants will gain an understanding of emerging democratized biotechnologies projects which will help them better forecast how the rapidly evolving field of biotechnology/digital biology will impact them, their families, industries, and humanity.•Participants will understand how accessible it can be to learn and do biotechnology outside of traditional institutions.•Participants will understand the pressing need to learn about digital biology/biotechnology.•Participants will be able to explain some ethical and moral issues surrounding digital biology/biotechnology and its democratization.•Participants will be able to identify opportunities for engagement with digital biology/biotechnology.