Queen’s University brought together thought leaders and community members for the Principal’s Symposium: Imagining Our Digital Future, November 26, 2018, a day-long discussion of discovery and research at the intersections of the human and the digital. Topics engaged participants in imagining an exciting digital future of big ideas and niche solutions, emerging technologies and creative economies, engaged communities and global collaborations.
Throughout its long history, Queen’s has excelled at building communities that push the boundaries of knowledge. New connections and collaborations will be at the foundation of our open, data-rich, human-centered environments.
The virtual exhibit on this page complements the symposium and other digital planning initiatives under way at Queen’s and in the Kingston community. For decades, we have been leveraging technologies to advance learning and research. Here we highlight just some of our interesting initiatives in the digital realm. Examples range from research advances in digital technologies that are impacting daily human lives to previously unimaginable learning and research opportunities across the disciplines.
![whoop](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/whoop-1024x684-360x205.jpg)
The Swamp Ward and Inner Harbour History Project
Dr. Laura Murray uses digital technologies (a blog, an app walking tour, podcasts, photo enlargements, mapping) to engage participants and outsiders with local history research.
![Person wearing VR goggles.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/tandllab-2-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Dr. Paul Hungler: Augmented Reality in STEM Education
Dr. Paul Hungler, professor with the Department of Chemical Engineering, has developed a fully-immersive virtual reality app to help first year engineering students select a discipline.
![Doctors in operating room.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/photo-1514416205405-075ab2f15964-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Smart Surgical Instruments: the NaviKnife
The Queen’s Laboratory for Percutaneous Surgery has developed a novel piece of technology to improve patient outcomes in cancer-removal surgeries.
![People sitting around table.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/3533429-360x205.jpg)
Database Systems Lab
The Queen’s School of Computing Database Systems Lab carries out research to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of data storage, management, and retrieval.
![Close-up photo of computer chip.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/photo-1516865622081-e98d705bb920-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Ambient Intelligence and Interaction Laboratory
The Ambient Intelligence and Interaction Laboratory, part of the Queen’s School of Computing, is exploring how to make every-day devices more intelligent and user-aware.
![Front page of "Jerusalem, We Are Here" website.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/love-it-1024x415-360x205.png)
Jerusalem, We Are Here
Jerusalem, We Are Here is an interactive documentary that digitally brings Palestinians back into the Jerusalem neighbourhoods from which they were expelled in 1948.
![Group putting together a poster, "design" written on top.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-360x205.jpg)
Design Thinking
Provided by the Dan School of Music and Drama, the Design Thinking course is meant to introduce students to the principles underlying empathy-driven technological solutions.
![Bird's eye view of person getting blood pressure taken.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/photo-1519781542704-957ff19eff00-1024x605-360x205.jpg)
CONDUIT Lab
The CONDUIT Lab is developing methods to store and analyze Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patient data to deepen medical understanding of acute illnesses.
![Photo of Kingston city hall.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/electionweb-360x205.jpg)
City of Kingston Mayor’s Innovation Challenge
Put on by the City of Kingston, the Mayor’s Innovation Challenge calls on student innovators to develop novel solutions to challenges identified by the City.
![3 photos of identical painting with different filters.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/ooooo-1024x576-360x205.png)
Dr. Ron Spronk: Technical Art History
Art Historian Dr. Ron Spronk uses advanced imaging and web technologies to examine the genesis of paintings.
![Woman wearing VR goggles.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/photo-1459550428001-4ed6ca421293-1024x542-360x205.jpg)
Centre for the Future of Simulation
The Centre for the Future of Simulation is part of the Queen’s School of Medicine, and is developing next-generation simulators for use by medical students.
![Stylized photo of skyline.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/f-360x205.jpg)
City of Kingston: LiDAR Imaging
The City of Kingston is in the process of developing a digital three-dimensional map of Kingston and surrounding areas.
![The Building and Designing Assistive Technology team.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/bdat-1024x768-360x205.jpg)
Building and Designing Assistive Technology Lab
The Building and Designing Assistive Technology Lab produces assistive technologies for people with disabilities to increase the amount of freedom they are able to enjoy.
![Computer screen displaying code.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/photo-1487058792275-0ad4aaf24ca7-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Envisioning Disruptive Technologies
The Envisioning Disruptive Technologies course examines disruptive technologies and their effects on research, design, promotional strategy, and business strategy.
![Student works on a laptop.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/open-text-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Open Education Resources
To support instructors in creating new open textbooks and adapting existing ones for Queen’s courses, Queen’s University Library is coordinating the development of open textbook services in partnership with faculties and other units across campus.
![Black and white photo of women at a desk.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/Social-ecology-ov-vulnerable-media-2-360x205.jpg)
Vulnerable Media Lab
The Vulnerable Media Lab at Queen’s University is dedicated to the study and preservation of media collections and collectives produced by marginalized populations.
![Stylized photo of compass.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/Scotia-wide-1024x583-360x205.jpg)
Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics
The Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics is exploring how to best analyze consumer data to “re-imagine the customer experience.”
![Laptop being used for class presentation.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/20140915-Grad-Studies-MPH058-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Cognitive Development Hub
The Cognitive Development Hub is a software design and development lab for data analytics and cognitive computing applications.
![Photo of orchestra.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/Picture1-360x205.jpg)
Analysis, Creation and Teaching of Orchestration Project
The Analysis, Creation and Teaching of Orchestration team is creating innovative digital tools for analyzing, learning, creating, and teaching orchestration.
![Graduate students working in lab](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/20140911-CRI095-Edit-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Enhancing Learning with Digital Opportunities
Julia Göllner, Academic Affairs Commissioner with the Queen’s Alma Mater Society, is exploring how to best prepare students for the digital workplace.
![Hand holding a smart-phone shaped magnifying glass.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/wow-360x205.png)
Reading Between the Lines: Dr. Claire Ahn
Dr. Claire Ahn, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education, is concerned with multiliteracies in the digital age.
![Big Data Analytics and Management Laboratory team.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/group-e1542116668496-768x1024-360x205.jpg)
Big Data Analytics and Management Laboratory
The Big Data Analytics and Management Laboratory aims to address both the challenges and opportunities presented by Big Data.
![Stylized photo of layered graphs.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/mma-wide-1024x583-360x205.jpg)
Queen’s Master of Management Analytics
The Smith School of Business launched their Master of Management Analytics program in 2013 in response to growing demand for deep analytical talent in business.
![Person adjusting device.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/oop-360x205.jpg)
Dr. Laurent K. Béland
Dr. Laurent Béland, a computational materials scientist at Queen’s, develops and preforms computer simulations that demonstrate the effects of radiation on building materials.
![Stylized photo of person's profile, world map, computer code.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/mmai-wide-1024x583-360x205.jpg)
Master of Management in Artificial Intelligence
The Smith School of Business launched their Master of Management in Artificial Intelligence program in 2018, making it North America’s first graduate business degree in artificial intelligence.
![Close up of person fixing an electronic device.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/trl-1024x685-360x205.jpg)
Queen’s Telecommunications Research Lab
The Queen’s Telecommunications Lab is part of the School of Computing, and covers a breadth of telecommunications disciplines.
![vulnerable-position-1030x687](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/vulnerable-position-1030x687-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Ageing + Communication + Technologies Project
The Ageing + Communication + Technologies (ACT) Project is concerned with the transformation of the ageing experience in the digital age.
![Hand touching hologram of legal scale.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/LEGAL-ANALYTICS_AdobeStock_140741680-1024x553-360x205.jpeg)
Conflict Analytics Lab
The Conflict Analytics Lab is a global network of researchers interested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science as it applies to conflict resolution and negotiation.
![a black hole](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/a-black-hole-1024x576-360x205.jpg)
Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute
The Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute brings together Canadian astroparticle physics researchers.
![Karina Bland and James Hantho stand on stage.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/Gazette-ClimaCube-360x205.jpg)
Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre
The Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre (DDQIC) is a key driver of innovation and entrepreneurial activity across Queen’s, Kingston, and the southeastern Ontario region.
![Group of students in front of 1 Million Teachers banner.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/Picture4-360x205.png)
1 Million Teachers
Founded by Queen’s alumnus Hakeem Subair, and in partnership with the Faculty of Education at Queen’s, 1 Million Teachers aims to train teachers in the developing world with a phone-based app along with workshops and support from the teaching community.
![Stylized graphic depicting smart transportation, intelligent communications, etc.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/smart-360x205.jpg)
City of Kingston: Building a Smart City
The City of Kingston’s Smart Kingston Strategy is a roadmap for becoming a smart and livable 21st century city.
![Drawing of nature scene.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/ooooooo-360x205.jpg)
Arctic Cultural Heritage Resource Network
Trudeau scholar Norman Vorano is creating an online Arctic Cultural Heritage Resource Network to link Arctic communities with their cultural heritage resources in museums across Canada.
![Mosey Group team.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/mosey-group-360x205.png)
Mosey Group
The Mosey Group focuses on the development and application of chemical simulation methods to gain atomic-level insights into the properties and behaviours of molecules and other materials.
![Visibly aged hands on lap.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/photo-1533612608997-212b06408bb9-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
City of Kingston: Smart Cities and Isolation
The City of Kingston is leveraging partnerships with post-secondary institutions, public sector organizations, and businesses to tackle feelings of isolation among older adults.
![Small yellow machine on wheels.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/robot-1024x576-360x205.jpg)
Institute for Disruptive Technologies
The Institute for Disruptive Technologies aims to bolster human productivity, creativity, safety, and quality of life through the design and use of intelligent systems and robotic machines.
![Overhead view of students studying in Stauffer.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/OSS-1024x885-360x205.jpg)
Open Scholarship Services
Queen’s University Library’s Open Scholarship Services leverages digital opportunities to advance innovative, cost-effective scholarly communication models in a global knowledge commons.
![Two doctors at patient's bedside.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/20101122-GB-CEC-Clinic-58-Edit-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network
The Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network is a database of more than a million de-identified patient records from across Canada.
![Students using digital photogrammetry to catalogue an artefact.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/Stobi-2015-students-doing-digital-photogrammetry-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Digital Photogrammetry in Archaeology
Digital Photogrammetry allows archaeologists to create sophisticated 3-D computer models of artefacts.
![Person flying a drone.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/dronesfocus2-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Human Media Lab
The Human Media Lab’s mandate is to develop “disruptive technologies” and new ways of working with computers that will be viable in the future.
![Security camera.](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/camera-1024x683-360x205.jpg)
Surveillance Studies Centre
The Surveillance Studies Centre is researching the effects of Big Data on human life and organizational systems.
![Man walking on treadmill with movements displayed on computer screen](https://digital-future.queensu.ca/wp-content/uploads/QueensHMRL-1-360x205.jpg)
Human Mobility Research Lab
The Human Mobility Lab studies the human musculoskeletal system with the use of innovative technology.