Workshop 4 — IoNx engagement Workshop
2–5 December 2026
2–5 December 2026 
In-Person — CIFAR Winter School, Nairobi, Kenya
In-Person — CIFAR Winter School, Nairobi, KenyaThis engagement workshop will use provocative future scenarios centered on digital sentience to challenge current assumptions and spark deeper dialogue. These carefully curated snapshots of the future will serve as a catalyst for critical thinking, producing a unique opportunity for reflection on societal and ethical impacts. Participants will gain the capacity to navigate the tensions between innovation and responsibility.
Facilitators
Dr. Karen Rommelfanger
Dr. Darrell Porcello
Bio: Dr. Porcello is Chief Engagement Consultant at IoNx Think & Do Tank, where he leads public engagement efforts within international collaborations on brain technologies. His work focuses on designing participatory formats that help people connect emerging technologies to their own lives and explore shared, responsible futures. He has partnered with researchers, science communicators, and policymakers across Japan, Mexico, and Europe to co-create cross-culturally informed workshops and dialogue tools. He is also Director of Learning Networks at the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco and plays a leader in the U.S. National Informal STEM Education (NISE) Network. With a PhD in Neuroscience from Stanford University and over 20 years of experience in museums, he develops interactive STEM learning experiences that reach broad audiences through national networks.