Fall 2025 DySoC Update: Connecting Cultural Evolution with Today’s Challenges
This fall, DySoC has hosted a global lineup of webinars featuring leading experts who explore the intersection of AI, communication, and society. These thought-provoking sessions provided fresh insights into how cultural evolution informs current challenges and opportunities.
Highlights from this year’s webinar series include:
September 4: Dynamics of Collective Creativity in AI Art Competitions
Speaker: Dr. Mason Youngblood (City University of New York, USA)
Discover how creativity emerges in AI-driven art competitions and what it reveals about collective innovation.
October 1: How AI Learned to Talk and What It Means (Co-sponsored with AI Tennessee)
Speaker: Prof. Christopher Summerfield (University of Oxford, UK)
Explore the evolution of language models and their implications for communication and society.
October 30: Boosting Empathic Communication Skills via LLM Role-Playing Games
Speaker: Dr. Aakriti Kumar (University of Cambridge, UK)
Learn how large language models (LLMs) can enhance empathy through interactive role-playing scenarios.
November 20: The Future of Fertility and World Population
Speaker: Prof. Rebecca Sear (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK)
Delve into global demographic trends and their implications for fertility and population dynamics.
These webinars showcased DySoC’s commitment to fostering dialogue on cultural evolution and its relevance to emerging technologies and societal trends.
Spotlight on DySoC Members: Innovators Shaping the Future
DySoC thrives on collaboration between UT faculty and external experts from around the globe. This month, we’re highlighting members whose groundbreaking work exemplifies our mission:
Jiangen He (University of Tennessee)
As an Assistant Professor in UT’s School of Information Sciences, Jiangen He studies how human and machine biases shape science. His NSF-funded research uses analytics and visualization to improve access to knowledge.
Senjuti Dutta (External Collaborator)
Senjuti Dutta, a postdoctoral researcher in the Institute of Cognitive Science at University of Colorado and graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, combines user research with AI innovation. Her work focuses on reducing bias in large language models, enhancing moderation systems, and fostering creativity through collaborations across academia and industry.
Catherine Luther (University of Tennessee)
Catherine Luther is leading a collaborative DySoC and CCI Information Integrity Institute team on a new ORIED-funded project: “Public Support for Nuclear Energy as Key to AI Innovation.”
These individuals embody DySoC’s commitment to advancing knowledge that addresses both local and global challenges.
Join Us at DySoC
Whether you’re a researcher, student, or simply curious about the dynamics of social complexity, DySoC offers opportunities to engage with cutting-edge ideas that shape our understanding of humanity’s past, present, and future. Stay connected with us by attending our webinars or exploring our ongoing projects.