Sara Heitlinger

I am a human-computer interaction (HCI) researcher, artist and designer. I work as a Lecturer in Computer Science at City, University of London. Previously I was a postdoctoral researcher in Participatory Design in Open Lab and the Global Urban Research Unit at Newcastle University. I was also the lead researcher Co-Investigator on Connected Seeds and Sensors, a project exploring how connected sensors and the development of a "smart" seed library can help raise awareness, empower communities, and support more sustainable food practices in the city.

My practice-based research takes place "in the wild" (i.e., out of the lab), as an ongoing inquiry into the relationship people have with their environment, and the ways they use creativity to survive in crisis situations.

Collaboration is essential to my practice, and I have worked with people from different backgrounds, communities and life-situations including the visually impaired, rubbish recyclers in Cairo, street children in the Ukraine and members of the Romany Gypsy community in rural England.

I have a PhD in Media and Arts Technology from Queen Mary University of London, an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, and a BSc. I won a UNESCO Digital Arts Award for the project Privileged Tactics II about environmental sustainability (together with Franc Purg), and won a Time Out Short Story Award. My work has been shown in exhibitions and festivals around the world, including at Exit Art in New York, the European Media Arts Festival in Osnabruck, and the Triennial for Contemporary Slovene Art at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana.

ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0001-6148-350X