Kathryn Exon Smith

Oakland, CA | Toronto, ON

Writer, urbanist, and builder of intellectually engaged communities.

037 // Americans and the great outdoors: the lure of nature and who can access it

Jun 18, 2021 Salon

How has our understanding of the outdoors evolved over time? Who has access to nature, and in what ways? This salon will explore how humans experience the outdoors through the lens of history and culture. With Phoebe Young.

036 // From single use to true recycling: moving toward a circular economy

May 21, 2021 Salon

This salon will explore the biggest challenges in moving toward a truly circular economy, and how organizations are responding to them. With Katherine Huded.

035 // Facial recognition, everyday surveillance, and how data about ourselves is being sold back to us

Apr 30, 2021 Salon

This salon will explore how facial recognition and other AI-driven surveillance technologies classify and categorize individuals, and how their use has been adopted both by governments and private corporations. With Luke Stark.

034 // Because English: Grammar and Language Change

Mar 5, 2021 Salon

As English evolves, new words and usages arise. Some are beloved, some are despised, some are barely noticed. An exploration of language change. With Lisa McLendon.

033 // Taking off or crash landing? The economics of the airline industry

Feb 12, 2021 Salon

This salon will get into some of the large-scale economic trends in the airline industry, and how they will shape air travel in the years to come. With Kerry Tan.