Thao Phan
@thaophan.bsky.social
1.5K followers 360 following 80 posts
Feminist STS, gender, race, algorithmic culture // Lecturer in Sociology (STS) at Australian National University// Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
thaophan.bsky.social
As an addendum to this🧵: I'm giving a talk (online) on drone delivery trials and the long history of science and technology testing in Australia next Jan for the Centre for Drones and Culture. Thanks to @amygaeta.bsky.social for the invite!

www.centrefordronesandculture.com/events/testi...
thaophan.bsky.social
Well deserved!! 👏👏👏
Reposted by Thao Phan
eryk.bsky.social
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-...
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.
www.noemamag.com
Reposted by Thao Phan
dluitse.bsky.social
🚨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...
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’
Reposted by Thao Phan
drdemography.com
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?
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.
Reposted by Thao Phan
francismarkham.bsky.social
A brief statement on my resignation from ANU Council.
It was a great privilege to be elected by my peers as an academic staff representative on ANU Council in May 2025. I thank you all for the faith you placed in me to advocate for the best interests of the University. 

On Monday, 11 August, I resigned from that role. Many people have since asked me why I have resigned. In short, I came to the view that I could no longer continue to effectively discharge my duties. I have been advised that the confidentiality obligations that apply to me as a former member of Council limit my ability to speak about this in detail. I did give evidence to the Senate yesterday, where under parliamentary privilege, I said the following: I resigned from the ANU Council because of my concerns about governance practices within the council. 

Recent council meetings have revealed a fundamental disagreement regarding our interpretations of our roles. Efforts by other council members to seek information have been unsuccessful, as you heard from Mr. Burfoot earlier today. Attempts to move motions have not been permitted by the chair at times, as was reported by the Australian Financial Review and again spoken to by Mr. Burfoot earlier. 

My experience has been that meeting procedures make it difficult at times to know what decisions have been made and at times limit full discussions. More recently, as was announced in the ANU staff newsletter, the council has been subject to an external investigation into alleged misuse of confidential information. During this period of investigation, which coincides with a critical time in our university's restructuring process, oversight by Council has been restricted. 

In order to operate effectively, I believe that the Council must be empowered to deliberate, seek information, and operate with transparency.
thaophan.bsky.social
Thank you for your service and integrity, Francis!! Much respect to you 🌟
Reposted by Thao Phan
dgrgrgs.bsky.social
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.
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.
Reposted by Thao Phan
Reposted by Thao Phan
karilancaster.bsky.social
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.
humanities.org.au
Reposted by Thao Phan
wombatscholar.bsky.social
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
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.
humanities.org.au
Reposted by Thao Phan
admscentre.org.au
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
thaophan.bsky.social
Part of the Newcastle Youth Studies Centre Seminar series. Many thanks to @stevethreadgold.bsky.social for the invite!
thaophan.bsky.social
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...
Automating Everyday Life
As everyday life has been digitalised, more and more of the things we do, like and consume are being automated.
www.eventbrite.com.au
Reposted by Thao Phan
timmclellan.bsky.social
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. 👟
thaophan.bsky.social
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...
Reposted by Thao Phan
nteuact.bsky.social
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.
See the other face of ANU vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell
A frank interview with the woman shaking up the ANU.
www.canberratimes.com.au
thaophan.bsky.social
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
thaophan.bsky.social
Literally demanding compliments from journalists
thaophan.bsky.social
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...
Reposted by Thao Phan
kathyreid.au
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:...
Reposted by Thao Phan
ranjodhdhaliwal.com
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)
Reposted by Thao Phan
ranjodhdhaliwal.com
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).
events.humanitix.com