Co-imagining possible futures together
In collaboration since 2017, STADHI (Science & Technology + Art & Design Hybrid Innovation) is a transdisciplinary research platform between CSM and Institute of Science Tokyo.
STADHI leads academic research on the theory, ethos, practice and methods of Transdisciplinarity, combining creative practice, post-humanities, techno-scientific knowledge and business innovation. STADHI explores how collaborative knowledge-making across disciplines can shape our understanding of complex interdependencies. We value collaboration, shared inquiry, and intellectual humility, and continue to learn how to work together across fields, divergences, and backgrounds.
The Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Tech) is Japan’s leading science and engineering university. The STADHI research platform was officially launched on 26 February 2021, supported by both institutions and led by Prof. Kayoko Nohara. It is one of four World Research Hub Initiative (WHRI) Satellite Labs established at Science Tokyo to promote high-impact, cross-disciplinary research.
Transdisciplinary research addresses complex global challenges by integrating academic and non-academic fields through open-ended questioning and rigorous frameworks. Hacking—central to our method—blends speculative design, experimentation and playful inquiry to disrupt and expand conventional knowledge.
This approach is our way of engaging with ‘a world of many worlds’ and the multifaceted challenges of a planet in transition. We believe it is necessary to build successful and highly diverse teams capable of constructive disagreement. Initiatives like Scientist in Residence exemplify this, pairing CSM creatives with scientists to surface ethical and critical insights through hands-on interventions.
Core team
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Prof. Kayoko Nohara
Prof Kayoko Nohara
Director of STADHI School of Environment and Society, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan. Visiting Researcher, Central Saint Martins, UAL
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Dr. Betti Marenko
Dr Betti Marenko
Reader in Design and Techno-Digital Futures, Central Saint Martins, UAL. UK former WRH/WRHI Specially Appointed Professor School of Environment and Society, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan
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Giorgio Salani, Institute of Science Tokyo
Dr Giorgio Salani
Hybrid Innovation Creative Director, Specially Appointed Associate Professor at STADHI School of Environment and Society, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan. Visiting Researcher, Central Saint Martins, UAL
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Kohei Kanomata, Institute of Science Tokyo
Kohei Kanomata
Research Staff / Hybrid Innovation Assistant Director, Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan.
Current projects
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Future Philosophical Pills, STADHI Hybrid Innovation session, Tokyo
Hybrid Innovation programme at Science Tokyo
A theoretical and practice-based training for Japanese industry partners connecting scientific thinking, creative practices and the critical post-humanities.
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Bacterial sculpture experiments under the fume hood in the CSM Grow Lab. Mattering Life, Scientist in Residence 2024. Photo: Risa Ueno
Scientist in Residence programme at CSM
In an immersive extra-curricular module, CSM students ‘hack’ the work of guest scientists in fields as diverse as non-human intelligence, origins of life, molecular science and olfactory science.
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Hybrid Innovation symposium, 2025. Photo: Giorgio Salani
Hybrid Innovation Symposium: April 2025
Celebrating the Hybrid Innovation 24-25 programme on the theme of ‘Regenerative Design’. Four teams, each representing an industry sector (hospitality, food, construction, agricultural), presented local biodiversity, circular economy, cultural regeneration projects. Dr Marenko gave a talk titled ‘Cultivating the Innovator Mindset: A Lifelong Journey’.
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‘From Creativity to creativities: Lessons from the Pluriverse’, 2023. Photo courtesy of STADHI
Invited Talk at ‘Art as Catalyst': December 2023
‘Art as Catalyst’: an exhibition and series of talks with artists and creative start-ups discussing art, creativity and possible futures. Organised by CCBT (Civic Creative Base Tokyo) and Ars Electronica with the support of Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Dr Marenko was invited to give the talk ‘From Creativity to creativities: Lessons from the Pluriverse’.
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Photo courtesy of Heather Barnett
‘Emerging Insights in Art and Science’ course: 2023
Dr Heather Barnett led this intensive course for postgraduate and doctoral students, looking at theories and practices at the intersection of art and science. The course included exhibition visits, a slime mould experiment and a hands-on clay workshop with Dr Giorgio Salani.
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Project Vision 2022 Exhibition “Looking Beyond Plastic: Rethinking the contact lens blister” - CooperVision. Media by Erdenebat Battseren.
Project Vision: ‘Looking Beyond Plastic’: 2022-23
A 6-month collaboration between Nohara Lab and CooperVision Japan, leading manufacturer of contact lenses. The outcomes were showcased in March 2023 via the exhibition “Looking Beyond Plastic: Rethinking the contact lens blister”. Dr. Marenko took part in the panel discussion looking at issues of sustainability, environmental impact and behavioural change.
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Photo: Paul Cochrane
Hybrid Futures online course: 2021
Hybrid Futures: Designing for Uncertainty, Speculating on the Post-Anthropocene’: A 7-week elective transdisciplinary course designed and run by Dr Marenko for postgraduate and doctoral students at Science Tokyo. Drawing on process philosophy, design theory and critical technology studies.
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‘Cities and Social Infrastructure for 100-year Lives’ research, Tokyo Tech in collaboration with industry partners. Image courtesy of STADHI
'The Future of Mobility' lecture: 2019
Keynote by Dr Marenko at ‘The Future of Mobility’ symposium (Tokyo, December 2019). Part of the research project ‘Cities and Social Infrastructure for 100-year Lives’; Tokyo Tech in collaboration with industry partners.
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Becoming Hybrid Colloquium and MOU: 2019
Celebrating the collaborative activity between our two institutions since May 2017 with our first MOU, a vision-building workshop and conversation platform for the shape of our future collaboration. Launch of the report ‘Becoming Hybrid – Transdisciplinarity at the Crossover of Science and Technology and Art and Design’.
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Becoming Hybrid Workshop at CSM, 2019
Becoming Hybrid workshop: 2019
A joint seminar at CSM with Prof. Nohara and visiting Tokyo Tech postgraduate students, exploring ideas of hybridity in research and practice. We discussed how sharing across art & design and science and technology could lead to innovative approaches to global challenges. The short film documents the process and outcomes.
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Three-year Visiting Professorships announced: 2018-19
Dr Marenko, Dr Barnett and Dr Oberlack became Specially Appointed Professors through the WRHI scheme. Marenko’s research looks at the intersection of continental philosophy, design and digital cultures and their role in shaping futures. Dr Barnett focuses on how we observe, influence and understand emergence in networks, systems and ecologies. Dr. Oberlack engages in research experiments around visual engagement and material thinking.
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Existential Wearables hackathon and public event: 2018
Funded by Tokyo Arts Council, Biotechnology Fashion showcased the outcomes of our 2-year collaborative project ‘Existential Wearables’. Art and design practices merged with science and technology research to speculate about and investigate the social implications of wearable technologies for young people in Tokyo.
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Teaching residencies: 2017-18
Tokyo Tech hosted CSM visiting academics in a month-long residency: Dr Ulrike Oberlack, Dr Betti Marenko and Heather Barnett. Course topics focused on Speculative Futures: Design for the Post-Anthropocene (Marenko), Cultures of Enquiry in Art and Science (Barnett) and Design in Practice (Oberlack).
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The Experiment: 2017
The conversation between our two institutions began with a one-day international symposium ‘The Experiment’, held in Tokyo, May 2017. ‘The Experiment’ kickstarted our collaboration by framing ways to discuss approaches and perspectives. Speakers from both institutions positioned their research, practice and strategies on the experiments they conduct on a regular basis in their respective fields.
Publications
Co-authored, peer-reviewed STADHI outputs
Project contributors
Naoya Abe | Assa Ashuach | Heather Barnett | Nathan Cohen | Shinya Hanaoka | Masahiko Hara | Yuhei Hayamizu | Eiichiro Kimura | Reiko Kubota | Takashi Nakamura | Dai Senoo | Masahiro Susa | Fumitake Takahashi | Kunio Tahakashi | Yoshiharu Tsukamoto, (Atelier bow-wow), Joseph Wheeler | Xinru Zhu
Past contributors
Carole Colett | Wataru Hijikata | Takamichi Nakamoto | Ulrike Oberlack | Stephanie Sherman | Jun-ichi Takada | Jeremy Till | Tuukka Toivoinen
