Author: Joan Murphy

Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) training [13-16 Oct, UCL, London]

CLDH training opportunity in Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), taking place from 13 to 16 October 2026 in the UCL Multi-Modal Digitisation Suite

We’re pleased to share an upcoming UCLDH training opportunity in Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), taking place from 13 to 16 October 2026 in the UCL Multi-Modal Digitisation Suite. 

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/digital-humanities/consulting/advanced-imaging-consultants/training

Led by Dr Kathryn Piquette, this four-day practical course introduces RTI as a computational photographic method for capturing and examining surface shape, colour and fine detail. The course combines lectures, demonstrations and hands-on work, and is particularly relevant to colleagues working with cultural heritage, museum and archival collections, archaeology, conservation and digital imaging.

Participants will learn how to:

  • set up and capture RTI datasets
  • process, assess and view RTI images
  • work with portable objects and larger surfaces
  • use RTI for detailed examination and documentation
  • prepare and disseminate RTI images for research and publication

Dates: 13-16 October 2026

Location: UCL Multi-Modal Digitisation Suite, Malet Place

Fee: £1,400

Concession rate: £1,200 for full-time students, UCL students and staff, and organisations enrolling two or more participants

Places can be booked through the UCL Online Store:

https://onlinestore.ucl.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/faculty-of-arts-humanities-c01/information-studies-f15/f15-4-day-reflectance-transformation-imaging-training-course-oct-2026

Doing Sound Synthesis: Symposium and Exhibition [1-3 October, Graz]

Graz Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics Symposium and Exhibition

Thinking sound synthesis, composing sound synthesis, developing sound synthesis, programming sound synthesis, questioning sound synthesis, experimenting with sound synthesis, probing sound syntheses. What is it that we are doing in the artistic practice of sound synthesis?

As an artistic endeavour, doing sound synthesis is a knot of practices. It is not limited to the mere production of sound; rather, it seeds paths of speculation that grow into different, unthought, unseen and unheard potentials.Doing Sound Synthesis, a mini-symposium and exhibition within the artistic research project Speculative Sound Synthesis, brings a collection of such speculative seeds together.

Works by A. Isa Araújo, Adam Pultz Melbye, Fulya Uçanok and Martin Rumori, as well as by the project team – David Pirrò, Leonie Strecker and Ina Thomann – will be exhibited, performed and discussed over three days at the Tennenmälzerei in Graz. The programme also includes the presentation of the new artistic research project Composing Tools as Computer Music Discourse by Gerhard Eckel, Ludvig Elblaus, Alisa Kobzar, Ina Thomann, and Zlata Zhidkova, and closes with the presentation of the forthcoming Speculative Sound Synthesis publication.Doing Sound Synthesis – mini-symposium and exhibition 

October 1–3, 2026 
Tennenmälzerei, UNESCO-Esplanade 9, 8020 Graz 
Exhibition daily from 14:00 
Lecture performances and moderated talks from 18:00

Programme:
https://speculative.iem.at/docs/Events/doing_sound_synthesis_2026/

Participation is free.

We kindly ask you to register by sending a short email to speculative@iem.at.We look forward to welcoming you in Graz.the Speculative Sound Synthesis teamSpeculative Sound Synthesis is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) within the Programme for Arts-based Research (PEEK) – PEEK AR 713-G. It is hosted by the Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics (IEM) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.

https://speculative.iem.at/

contact: speculative@iem.at

(re)Imagining the future for Digital Arts and Humanities in Ireland [4th March, 2027, Save the Date]

📌 Save the date for a DARIAH-IE Networking Day hosting the UK-IE Digital Humanities Association’s Regional Meeting

📆 March 4th, 2027 | 📍 Trinity Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin  | 🕰️ 10:30 – 16:00

Save the date for a national event bringing together practitioners, researchers and academics working in digital arts and digital humanities across Ireland.

Hosted by DARIAH-IE, Ireland’s national node of DARIAH the pan-European Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities, the day will also see the first meeting of the UK-Ireland Digital Humanities Association (UK-IE DHA) Regional Event Series.

This jointly organised event will bring together a broad range of stakeholders, reflecting the strength of collaboration between the DARIAH-IE infrastructure and the UK-IE DH Association.

The day is designed to:

  • Introduce the affordances of engagement with DARIAH-IE and the UK-IE DHA
  • Provide the opportunity to talk to – and hear from – colleagues across the island
  • Share knowledge across HEIs
  • Encourage participation in and engagement across DARIAH Working Groups and UK-IE DHA Community Interest Groups
  • Invite discussions on training needs, collaborations and events

Whether you are new to digital arts and humanities or already active in the field, this is a chance to connect with colleagues from across the island and help shape the future of both DARIAH-IE and the UK-IE DHA.

Full programme and registration details to follow, provisional timelines below:

  • October 20th, 2026 – Call for Papers and Provocations opens
  • November 27th, 2026 – CfP closes
  • December – Programme announced
  • January 11th, 2026 – Registration opens
  • February 11th, 2026 – Registration closes

A bursary call will also be announced in the coming months.

Keep an eye on our Event page for more info

For queries contact joan.y.murphy@tcd.ie or uk-ie.digitalhumanities@sas.ac.uk 

EOSC.ie launches Service Provider Survey [Closes 12 Oct]

EOSC Ireland launches a Service Provider Readiness Survey to map the national research service landscape.

Please complete this survey if you run any research services.

Purpose: The data gathered will help us accurately understand the preparations needed for future EOSC Ireland service onboarding to make them discoverable and accessible. It will also guide the approach to subsequent deeper layers of technical service integrations which may be needed across areas such as login (AAI), metadata standards, and protocols to make services interoperable.

Full info on scoping and survey context are available on the survey form. We also strongly encourage you to forward this email directly to relevant colleagues and contacts operating research services across different scientific domains to ensure we get a full and comprehensive picture.

Survey Details & Deadlines:

Follow-on Service Provider Readiness Workshop:

We will run a follow-on workshop via MS Teams on Monday, 19 October, 10:00–12:00 IST. Please join us and share this invitation with other relevant service providers.

Support

Questions and support on the survey or workshop can be sent to responsible EOSC Ireland project member: gavin.farrell@ul.ie

THIRST: the societal and environmental costs of AI data centre expansion [18 Sept, Galway, in-person]

THIRST: the societal and environmental costs of AI data centre expansion

1–2pm, September 18th, 2026

Studio 3, O’Donoghue Centre, University of Galway

Dr. Kat Austen in conversation with Fiona McGarry, introduction by Dr. Paul O’Neill

AI data centres are being built at an accelerating rate around the globe, their demands for water and energy raising concern. At the same time, AI agents are becoming embedded in search engines, operating systems, software and even in the infrastructure for critical services. Through long-term artistic research, Kat Austen explores the systemic impact of AI expansion, both on and offline. Since 2025, Austen has worked with Paul O’Neill to explore global perspectives on AI data centre expansions. In conversation with Fiona McGarry (Journalism & Media), Austen will present research into the landscape changes at a data centre construction site in Asia, and the resonances that this shares with similar sites around the world.

Dr. Kat Austen is a recipient of the Visiting Fellowship Scheme at University of Galway’s College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Celtic Studies, in collaboration with Dr. Paul O’Neill (Huston School of Film & Digital Media).

Register here: https://ti.to/creative-tech/ai-data-centres-kat-austen