Thao Phan

AFTERMATH: AUSSTS MELBOURNE SUMMER SYMPOSIUM 2026 The Melbourne Node of AusSTS is holding a 1-day summer symposium for scholars to present and discuss works in progress. We welcome applications that broadly engage with Science and Technology Studies ...

Melbourne-ite STS-ers, the local AusSTS node are doing a wee Summer Symposium on AFTERMATH - Mon 23 February 2026. If you are interested in coming along then please submit an abstract by 25 Nov 2025 ⏰https://forms.gle/9kwgnpDiE2HP61sF7?_imcp=1

Image shows a screenshot of the conclusion of the linked Senate inquiry submission. This text can be found on page 10. The text is too long for alt text, but here is the first three quarters of the text: Conclusion Over the past decade, Nous Group’s UniForum data has quietly taken on the status of authoritative benchmark for the quality of a range of professional and academic services performed by public universities in Australia and across the world. This authoritative status is performed through scientific-looking graphs and scientific-sounding jargon designed to imply UniForum data is generated through rigorous methods and backed by expert consensus. This performance of authority is significant: it lends UniForum data an air of credibility and facticity that makes acting upon its results irresistible. When one begins to open the black box and examine how UniForum data is actually produced, however, it becomes difficult to justify the degree to which Australian university executives are relying upon it in their decision-making. My analysis is based on a review of publicly available documents, and it is therefore possible that Nous or its clients would point to things not in the public domain that address some of the conceptual and methodological flaws that I have highlighted in UniForum. But the fact that the underlying UniForum data and methodology is not in the public domain is itself one of the key causes for concerns. When the stakes are so high, it cannot be acceptable for Nous Group and its clients to simply tell university staff and governing councils, ‘trust us, these numbers are based on rigorous methods and analysis.’ The lack of rigor, external scrutiny, and transparency in UniForum’s underlying data and methodology would be a cause for concern in any public institution, but it is especially concerning in the context of universities where rigorous, transparent, and accountable knowledge production is a core part of what we do. ...

Private consultants are taking control of how public universities are evaluated and run.

My submission to the Senate university governance inquiry raises concerns about the impact of Nous Group and their dodgy UniForum data on our universities.

www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStor...

A thread

Well deserved!! 👏👏👏

Go off, Eryk!!

Is European AI A Lost Cause? Not Necessarily. | NOEMA If Europe wants to build a new AI Stack it should stop listening to critics who claim to lead the way but only offer resistance.

Billionaire-owned “philosopher” Benjamin Bratton finally coming out as full technofash in this declaration of alliance with JD Vance & a16z — here’s his scathing rejection of those who “stand in the way” of corporate AI agendas nobody wants. www.noemamag.com/is-european-...

Critical AI seminar series Register via https://bit.ly/uvacriticalai2526 Program and Invited Speakers: Upcoming seminars November 12, 5-6:30 PM (CEST): Invited talk by Louise Amoore and Alexander Campolo, ‘On reading machine learning‘ January 13, 5:30-7 PM (CEST): Invited talk by Fabian Offert on ‘Vector Media‘ March 18, 3-4:30 (CEST): Invited talk by Helene Ratner and Nanna Thylstrup on ‘Ecologies of evaluation’ May 20, 12-1:30 PM (CEST): Invited talk by Thao Phan on ‘Testing-in-the-wild’

🚨The Critical AI Seminar Series returns in 2025/2026 ✨

This year we will have four talks and are beyond excited to welcome @amoorelouise.bsky.social & @alexcampolo.bsky.social, Fabian Offert, Helene Ratner & @nannathylstrup.bsky.social and @thaophan.bsky.social ✨

Sign up: bit.ly/uvacriticala...

I am writing to you today with three key updates for our community regarding the Renew ANU Program: 1. The University leaders have confirmed that all future changes under Renew ANU will be achieved without involuntary redundancies. This means that all future changes under Renew ANU will be achieved through our other mechanisms, including lift and shift/ realignments, continuation of the Recruitment Advisory Committee (RAC), natural attrition, and voluntary separations. We will continue to create greater accountability for senior leaders to ensure compliance with budget and resource allocation. 2. The University's timeline for future change has been brought forward from 31 October to today, Wednesday 20 August 2025. This means that under Renew ANU, no further change proposals will be released in 2025, and as expressed above, no further job losses will occur through involuntary redundancy. 3. Finally, the University will open a second Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) for the entire community next week, with details released via On Campus next Tuesday.

Tough time for many at ANU. At around midday yesterday staff received a university-wide email. The language was ambiguous and could be read to say all forced redundancies would stop. I received many messages from people being forced out. Were they now safe?

Thank you for your service and integrity, Francis!! Much respect to you 🌟

A landscape poster advertising the AI in the Street Drone Observatory short film about drone delivery trials in Logan, Australia. Text below the title and subtitles reads 'Directed by Thao Phan and Jeni Lee'. The image shows a drone deliverying a white package via a cord into the lawned yard of a house, with at least one person looking on from the porch. The logos for the Emerging Technologies Research Lab, Monash University and the University of Warwick are in the righthand corner.

Session 1 is a screening & discussion of the ‘AI in the Street: Drone Observatory’, a short film created & directed by Dr @thaophan.bsky.social (Australian National University) & Jeni Lee. We will be joined online by Thao to discuss their work & the creative practices behind producing the film.

Dr Thao Phan wins 2025 Max Crawford Medal Dr Thao Phan has won the 2025 Max Crawford medal for her work investigating dynamics of race and gender in algorithmic culture.

The Australian Academy of the Humanities is thrilled to announce feminist science and technology studies scholar Dr @thaophan.bsky.social from the Australian National University has won the 2025 Max Crawford Medal. humanities.org.au/power-of-the...

Dr Thao Phan wins 2025 Max Crawford Medal Dr Thao Phan has won the 2025 Max Crawford medal for her work investigating dynamics of race and gender in algorithmic culture.

Huge congratulations to @thaophan.bsky.social who has been awarded the 2025 Max Crawford Medal 🥳!
In addition to her exemplary feminist STS work on race and gender in algorithmic culture, Thao has contributed enormously to growing a vibrant STS community in Aus.
humanities.org.au/power-of-the...

Dr Thao Phan wins 2025 Max Crawford Medal Dr Thao Phan has won the 2025 Max Crawford medal for her work investigating dynamics of race and gender in algorithmic culture.

Delighted to learn that Dr Thao Phan is awarded the 2025 Max Crawford medal, Australia's major prize for early-career humanities researchers! Pleasantly surprised it went to an STS scholar for the first time too. Such good news!
@thaophan.bsky.social @humanitiesau.bsky.social #STS

Congrats to Dr Thao Phan, winner of the Australian Academy of the Humanities 2025 Max Crawford Medal for her exemplary scholarship investigating dynamics of race and gender in algorithmic culture @thaophan.bsky.social #AlgorithmicCulture #MaxCrawfordMedal #GenderStudies
admscentre.org/47nJF1g

Part of the Newcastle Youth Studies Centre Seminar series. Many thanks to @stevethreadgold.bsky.social for the invite!

Automating Everyday Life As everyday life has been digitalised, more and more of the things we do, like and consume are being automated.

Join me, Joel Stern, and Nic Carah for what's shaping up to be a stimulating seminar on Automating Everyday Life!

⚡Wed 30 July, 3 - 5pm AEST
⚡Register for zoom details

I'll be talking about generative AI and the problem if representing political violence.

www.eventbrite.com.au/e/automating...

Day after this puff piece went out, I was called into a meeting to tell me I'm in a spill and fill along with three amazing friends and colleagues.

To the meeting, I wore Nanyang 205S Sneakers. For those who know, they are as much a style item as a Tesco Bag for Life. 👟

💞

Open letter: Concerns regarding restructuring of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences Letter to the Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the College of Arts and Social Sciences cc: University Council, Jason Clare MP, Senator David Pocock, Senator Katy Gallagher, Andrew Leigh MP, Alicia Payne MP...

Please take the time to read and sign this open letter addressing CASS PhD & Masters students' concerns with the upcoming restructures of our college! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

See the other face of ANU vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell A frank interview with the woman shaking up the ANU.

Staff at #ANU across multiple areas are getting called into meetings today ahead of job cuts being announced later this week.

The VC is happy to sit and take questions from @canberratimes.bsky.social, but not her own staff.

@nteunion.bsky.social has no confidence.

Absolutely galling that this has been published the same day academics and professional staff are receiving emails about forced redundancy meetings. Heartless and completely out of touch. Disgusted at this leadership #ourANU

Literally demanding compliments from journalists

Shout out to the ANU Vice Chancellor's PR team for commissioning a puff piece so bad it tries to recuperate her public image by comparing her to corrupt millionaire Imelda Marcos and profiling her collection of designer shoes

www.canberratimes.com.au/story/900277...

Are you heading to @aussts.bsky.social #AusSTS25 #SignalsAndNoises in July in Melbourne? #STS

If so I hand-curated a Bluesky list of people I could find from the conference program:

bsky.app/profile/did:...

On the 9th of July, at the National Communication Museum in Hawthorn, as a part of the @aussts.bsky.social 2025 conference, I will be talking about infrastructures of noise at the keynote panel along with Glen Berman, Dang Nguyen, Fabian Offert, and Kate Mannell. (3/4)

How to Train Your (Mental) Model: Workshop How to Train Your (Mental) Model Workshop with Fabian Offert (UCSB) & Ranjodh Singh Dhaliwal (University of Basel).

On the 8th of July, Fabian Offert and I will be running a workshop on 'How to Train Your (Mental) Model' at RMIT Media Portal in Melbourne as a part of the 'Network Anarchy and Unstable Diffusions' program. (You can register at events.humanitix.com/how-to-train...) (2/4)

How to Train Your (Mental) Model: Workshop How to Train Your (Mental) Model Workshop with Fabian Offert (UCSB) & Ranjodh Singh Dhaliwal (University of Basel).

Workshop 3: How to Train Your (Mental) Model: Workshop

Ranjodh Singh Dhaliwal and Fabian Offert

events.humanitix.com/how-to-train...

JODI: (jodi.org) Workshop Join the pioneers of net.art, JODI (jodi.org) for a workshop in disruption at RMIT 's Media Portal.

Workshop 2: JODI: (jodi.org)

events.humanitix.com/jodi-worksho...

Noisy Joints: Embodying the AI Glitch workshop AI Glitch workshop with Eryk Salvagio and Camila Galaz at RMIT's Media Portal.

Workshop 1: Noisy Joints: Embodying the AI Glitch workshop

Eryk Salvaggio and Camila Galaz

events.humanitix.com/noisy-joints...

💎 NETWORK ANARCHY AND UNSTABLE DIFFUSIONS 💎

7 - 8 July
Naarm/Melbourne

@blueskychris.bsky.social
@ranjodhdhaliwal.com
@eryk.bsky.social
@admscentre.org.au