Shannon Hicks

Shannon Hicks is an electrical engineer at Stroud Water Research Center in Pennsylvania where she designs and builds a variety of environmental sensor data logger systems using open source hardware and software. She's the co-founder of EnviroDIY, an online community of users who share ideas and solutions for low-cost environmental monitoring. Shannon is also the developer of the Mayfly Data Logger, an open-source, Arduino-based board that makes it easy to build monitoring stations with sensors and telemetry modules. She has taught dozens of workshops to a wide range of audiences about how to use open-source tools for environmental monitoring and research.

Marjia Siddik

Marjia Siddik is a third-year Computer Science student at Dublin City University with a keen interest in AI safety, governance, and open-source hardware. She first became involved in open-source hardware through mentoring students at CoderDojo, where she introduced young learners to hands-on programming and hardware projects. This experience sparked her passion for accessible, community-driven innovation in technology. She has since expanded her involvement by exploring open-source tools for AI research and development. Beyond her technical interests, Marjia has published research, founded startups, and engaged in social impact initiatives. She is also a writer and has self-published her poetry book.

Deanna Gelosi

Deanna Gelosi is a PhD student in Creative Technology and Design at the University of Colorado Boulder within the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Her research explores computational systems for creative fabrication, and she has built software and hardware tools for clay 3D printing, digital weaving, and CNC woodworking. She integrates algorithmic aesthetics into human-machine collaboration, designing systems that foster expressivity and reflection.

At CU Boulder, she is a member of the Unstable Design Lab, and her work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the ARCS Foundation. Deanna holds a BA in Physics and an MS in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Sabine 'bleeptrack' Wieluch

bleeptrack / Sabine Wieluch is a creative technologist and generative artist exploring different materials, techniques, and digital fabrication tools like pen plotters, CNC mills, and laser cutters. Her work has been exhibited internationally in shows like Scene Change at ZKM Karlsruhe and Protest! gestalten at Museum Ulm, and she shares her projects as open-source. In addition to her artistic practice, she teaches at universities, gives talks and workshops on creative coding and actively contributes to the open-source community.

Christie Dezi

Christie is a queer artist and designer. Through a feminist critique she experiments on biomateriality and wearables by intersecting textile innovation, costume design, biohacking and sextech. Her artistic exploration of (trans)feminist activism and hacker culture is expressed through interactive and performative aesthetics to inspire and provoke debate and critical reflection on taboos and stigma related to sexuality, pleasure and hybrid identities.

With Giulia Tomasello she co-founded Bruixes_Lab, a nomadic laboratory where biohacking and witchcraft rituals are performed to create speculative scenarios about pleasure and experimenting with DIY sensor circuits to hack the experience of arousal and decentralise the normative binaries of sexuality and bodies. They participated in TTT Conference in Malta, led workshops in Observatorio del Placer in BCN, Ars Elektronika in Linz, MU Hybrid Art House in Eindhoven, III Instrument Inventors in the Hague and much more..

Farnaz Baksh

Farnaz Baksh is a roboticist and researcher specialising in human-robot interaction and social robotics. She is a Junior Research Fellow in Computer Engineering at the University of Tartu, where she also earned her MSc in Robotics. Currently pursuing a PhD in social-educational robotics, she focuses on designing open, adaptable, and ethically responsible robotic companions for students.

Farnaz leads the development of the open-source robotic study companion project, supervising and mentoring students in their research. She is passionate about democratising access to technology education, contributing to the open-source community, and fostering innovation in human-centred AI and robotics. In her free time, she enjoys nature photography.

Matevž Zorec

Matevž Zorec holds an M.Sc. in Robotics and Computer Engineering (cum laude) from the University of Tartu, where he is currently pursuing his PhD. His research combines the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics. He has worked on developing the award-winning social robot study companion, contributed to the IoTempower platform, and designed robust, low-cost air quality sensors. Matevž has also contributed to research on Special Educational Needs in Guyana. Committed to open-source, ethical, and user-friendly innovation, he strives to make technology more inclusive and practical in everyday life.

Priyanka Makin

Priyanka Makin is an engineer and emerging multidisciplinary artist specializing in creative technology and sculpture. Her expertise spans kinetics, circuit boards, and audio devices, alongside traditional handicrafts such as textile arts and film photography. Her works delve into themes of identity, nature, and home with a touch of humor, reflecting her perspective as a mixed, anxious, first-gen American woman in STEM. She advocates for inclusivity in STEAM by employing an open source pedagogy and hosting educational workshops. Makin is a co-founder of Material Kitchen, an online resource for sustainable materials, a SparkFun Electronics alum, and holds a Masters from the Interactive Telecommunications Program at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

Rebecca Abraham

Rebecca Abraham (Beccy) is an MFA student in the Sonic Practice program at Dartmouth College. They graduated from UC Berkeley in 2020 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. They were a research fellow at the Berkeley Center for New Media, where they started working on the Magical Musical Mat with Professor Rachel Chen. While at Berkeley, Rebecca cofounded GIA MAG, a new community arts publication by and for queer/trans people of color.

At Dartmouth, Beccy’s research focuses on collaborative instrument design, and they’re curious about social dynamics and decision-making in collaborative musical contexts. Rebecca researches musical surrogate languages with Professors Laura McPherson and Andrew McPherson (Imperial College). They were a finalist for the Processing Foundation Fellowship in 2024 for their work creating Tiny Touch Instruments. Rebecca has presented work at Sensing the Forest, through the Center for Digital Music at Queen Mary University; the Open Source Arts Contributors’ Conference; and NIME. At NIME in 2024, they won “Best Music / Art Installation Award” for their piece, A Thousand Mornings, with support from the Arts Integration Grant at Dartmouth. Most recently, they presented their work with Tiny Touch Instruments at the Sound / Image Festival, hosted by the University of Greenwich.

Rebecca's primary instrument is the marimba, and they have more than a decade of concert percussion experience. They've played trombone with Cal Band and acted as principal percussionist for the University Wind Ensemble at UC Berkeley. They currently play with the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble. In 2024, they won first place (brass and percussion division) in the Culley Concerto Competition.