"Robo-Sexism: Designing and Programming Gender in Robots and AI with Perspectives from Japan" at Carnegie Mellon University, February 16.

The Department of Modern Languages at Carnegie Mellon University will host Dr. Jennifer Robertson and her talk "Robo-Sexism: Designing and Programming Gender in Robots and AI with Perspectives from Japan" on February 16.

Roboticists are designing gendered robots based on simplified sex and gender stereotypes of human female and male bodies. Some of these gendered robots are programmed with algorithms – or A.I. (“artificial intelligence”) – similarly based on their presumption of inherent human female and male behavioral differences. For this talk, guest lecturer Jennifer Robertson, Ph.D., will focus primarily on what she and others find problematic and even troubling about the construction of gender in robot design and A.I. algorithms. Robertson acknowledges that sex-gender bias exists not just among hardware and software designers, who take for granted the binary division of sex and gender. She notes that this bias is also prevalent among users and consumers, which, Robertson argues, is an underlying problem in the emerging field of kansei kōgaku, or “affective engineering,” based on applying user preferences in industrial design. In this talk, she will also consider the concept and possibilities of “queering” robots and A.I.

The Japanese Studies program is pleased to welcome Jennifer Robertson to campus for this talk. Robertson is a Professor Emerita of Anthropology and on the faculty of the Robotics Institute at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 2:00 pm in Posner Hall room 340 (map).

The Peking Acrobats performing at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, February 27.

The Peking Acrobats will perform at IUP, roughly 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, on February 27.

For the last thirty two years, The Peking Acrobats® have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control.

The show takes place in the Fisher Auditorium (map) and tickets ranging from $10 to $20 are available online.

Lunar New Year Celebration, February 10 at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel.

The Cooper-Siegel Community Library will host a Lunar New Year Celebration on February 10.

Celebrate and learn about the Lunar New Year! This annual celebration with a wide variety of different festival activities is organized by the Asian community of the Fox Chapel area. Enjoy traditional Chinese music performed by Dorseyville Middle School students, taekwondo performed by the Young Brothers Taekwondo School students, a dragon parade, storytelling, crafts, as well as treats and gifts.

All ages are welcome.

The event runs from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Registration is required and can be completed online. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).

"Characters across Asia: Using "Kanji" to write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese," February 1 at University of Pittsburgh.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures will host Dr. Zev Handel and his talk "Characters across Asia: Using "Kanji" to write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese" on February 1.

Chinese characters originated in China over 3,000 years ago. Prior to their creation, East Asia was completely devoid of writing. By the time of the Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE), China already had a long literary tradition, a flourishing culture, and a sophisticated government bureaucracy. In this talk, Professor Handel will explain how the building blocks of the Chinese script were adapted to represent the words and sounds of Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean - and why today, only Japanese still use kanji in their writing.

Zev Handel is a professor of Chinese and chair of the Department of Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Washington, Seattle.

The talk runs from 11:00 to 12:00 in 4127 Sennott Square (map).

Mochi donuts hit the menu at Bubble Bee Shadyside.

Bubble Bee Shadyside, which opened on Centre Ave. in the fall, announced on social media last week that it has added mochi donuts to the menu.

🎉 Welcome to Bubble Bee @ Shadyside! 🎉

We are thrilled to invite you to join our vibrant community of bubble tea enthusiasts right here on Facebook! 🥤

🌟 What sets us apart? 🌟

🍩 Exciting News! Introducing our NEW Mochi Donuts 🍩
Indulge in the delightful fusion of chewy mochi and delectable donuts. These sweet treats are the perfect match for our signature bubble teas.

Ecology, Society, and Imagination in Oyamada Hiroki's The Factory and the Hole, February 14 at Pitt. [Rescheduled]

University of Pittsburgh Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures Master's student Hayley Gerlach will present Ecology, Society, and Imagination in Oyamada Hiroki's The Factory and the Hole on February 14.

Two of Oyamada Hiroko's best-known works are her proletariat debut novella The Factory and her Akutagawa-prize winning novella The Hole. Scholars are only beginning ot shift their focus to Oyamada, and as of yet, litte scholarsly work has been dedicated to analyzing the animals that are characteristic of her writing. In my thesis, I examine the liminal space between human and nonhuman wolrds in Oyamada's speculative fiction and what these spaces say about societal and environmental responsibility. First, I examine The Factory from an ecocritical perspective. I discuss how Oyamada's factory functions as a capitalsist 'ecosystem,' and how the animals on its periphery contribute to and disrupt this ecosystem. I argue that the animals illuminate the human and nonhuman costs of capitalism, while also offering opportunities for resistance. Next, I discuss animals in The Hole. Reminiscent of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the protagonist falls into a hole before encountering a cast of strange characters that lead her to question her own existence. I argue that the wild animals and insects in the rural ecosystem present a fluid and chaotic form of existence that offer an alternative to Asahi's static domestic life and the rigid expectations of womanhood.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 1219 Cathedral of Learning.

2024 Spring Japanese Film Series at Maridon Museum begins February 23, with After Life (ワンダフルライフ) , Hula Girls (フラガール), Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), and Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓).

The Maridon Museum, a museum of Asian art in Butler, will present a 2024 Spring Japanese Film Series from February 23, featuring four Japanese films over the course of two months.

After Life (ワンダフルライフ) - February 23. Presented by Dr. William Covey.
A mid-20th Century social service structure serves as a way station between life and death. Every Monday, deceased individuals check in and social workers prompt them to select a single memory to carry into the afterlife. They have only a few days to choose their happiest memory, which is then designed, staged, and filmed by the workers. This allows souls to relive this moment for eternity, forgetting the rest of their lives and residing within their happiest memory.

Hula Girls (フラガール) - March 21. Presented by Yukako Ishimaru.
In an effort to reverse their economic fortunes, the elders of a small Japanese coal-mining town hire Madoka to create a Hawaiian center tourist attraction. Madoka recruits and trains hula dancers, including Sayuri and Kimiko. With encouragement from Kimiko’s brother Yojiro, Madoka redoubles her efforts to make things work.

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) - April 12. Presnted by Misaki Okita.
In the 14th Century, the harmony among humans, animals, and gods started to crumble. Infected by an animal attack, the protagonist, young Ashitaka, seeks a cure from the deer-like god Shishigami. During his journey, he witnesses humans ravaging the Earth, angering the wolf god Moro and Princess Mononoke, his human companion. Ashitaka’s efforts to mediate peace among them resulted in conflict.

Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) - April 26. Presented by Misaki Okita.
A poignant reflection on the human toll of war, this animated story tracks Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi), a teen responsible for his younger sister, Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi), following an American firebombing in WWII that separates them from their parents. Their survival story is both heartbreaking and realistic, as they depend on each other and fight against all odds to remain united and alive.

The movies are free and open to the public, but registration is required and can be made by calling 724.282.0123. The Maridon Museum is located at 322 North Mckean St. in Butler (map).

2006 Satoshi Kon film Paprika (パプリカ) in Pittsburgh, February 7, 8, 11.

The 2006 Japanese animated film Paprika (パプリカ) will play in PIttsburgh from February 7, 8, and 11, the final installment of the Satoshi Kon Fest that's been running the last few months.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the last film ever made by visionary director Satoshi Kon with his mind-bending thriller PAPRIKA, which has been restored in 4K for the first ever. When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.

It plays locally at the AMc Lowes Waterfront and the Cinemark Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Teen Time: Jasmine Cho Artivism, at 10 different Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh throughout May.

via @jasminemcho 

Teen Time sessions inspired by the work of Local artist, author, and cookie activist Jasmine Cho will run at 10 Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh throughout May.

This Teen Time program, centered on local artist Jasmine Cho’s book “Role Models Who Look Like Me: Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Who Made History” will increase teens’ awareness of notable Asian American and Pacific Islander role models. Teens will then create a portrait based on her style.

The "Teen Time: Jasmine Cho Artivism" events are listed below; participation is reserved for teenagers, and no registration is required. 

• Lawrenceville - May 2, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Beechview - May 7, 4:30 - 5:30
• Brookline - May 8, 3:30 - 4:30
• Allegheny - May 8, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Homewood - May 8, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Hazelwood - May 8, 4:30 - 5:30 pm
• Woods Run - May 14, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Southside - May 14, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
• Carrick - May 15, 3:30 - 4:30 pm
• Squirrel Hill - May 21, 3:30 - 4:30 pm

While the event is inspired by the book and Cho's cookie artwork, she is not scheduled to lead the sessions.

Chinese & English Storytime, at Cooper-Siegel Community Library, February 10.

The next Chinese & English Storytime at Cooper-Siegel Community Library is February 10.

Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books, and playful experiences. This program is designed for kids in grades preschool - 2nd grade with their caregivers. 

Registration is required and can be completed online. There is a Chinese & English Storytime scheduled for March 9, April 3, and May 11 as well. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).