Welcome!
Hello, my name is Eben. Welcome to my new blog.
via Giphy
I am a creator, producer, and grad student from Minneapolis. My background is in producing cultural events, digital marketing, choreography, and performance. Most recently, I managed the production of fifteen performance art pieces as part of The Paradox of Stillness at the Walker Art Center. After ten years focused on dance-making, I am making the leap into the next chapter of my career.
Like many others, the past year unleashed a lot of changes in my life. I decided to go to grad school, and in January I started a part-time Master’s program in Foresight at the University of Houston (though I am still based in Minneapolis, MN).
Now — you may be asking yourself:
“What is Foresight?”
“What kind of job will you have with a degree like that?”
“Do you use tarot cards, do you prefer a crystal ball?”
Foresight is information you can use to make choices to influence the future towards a preferred outcome. Superstitious forecasting systems like palm reading or the I Ching have existed for centuries. Science fiction writers like Jules Verne, Aldous Huxley, HG Wells, and George Orwell predicted the future in novels and journalism. In the mid-20th century, accelerated by World War I & II, central governments and militaries took on the task of using data and research to systematically describe future scenarios. This, in turn, gave rise to well known acronyms like RAND and DARPA. Today, foresight practices have diffused into many sectors and facets of the modern landscape.
As foresight professionals, futurists use structured processes to scan the horizon, learn from the past, and observe the present in order to imagine and articulate possible futures. Their work helps individuals, organizations, and societies create visions and strategies to reach their preferred futures. Futurists produce original research, writing, scenarios, strategic recommendations, or sensory experiences. They also teach others how to practice foresight with integrity and rigor.
🔮 I do not own a crystal ball.
I’m starting this blog because research shows that teaching others is an extremely effective way to learn. You might be interested in following it because, while many of us study some history in school, few of us have any instruction in thinking about the future.
I’m looking forward to sharing key concepts from foresight and futures studies, trends and signals that will drive future change, excerpts of my work for school, and I’m sure other things along the way.
If want to keep in touch, but don’t want to be bothered to remember to check my blog, I’m happy to send you a very occasional email update. Just let me know by filling out this quick Google form with your name and email.
Wish me luck!
