The SocioTechnical ResistancE and Ethical Technologies (STREET) Lab is an interdisciplinary research collective at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, and housed at the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI). Led by, Dr. Priyank Chandra the lab focuses on understanding and supporting the sociotechnical practices of marginalized communities worldwide, with an emphasis on resistance, informality, and social justice.
Current projects are centered around accessibility, social movements, and worker communities. Their research is situated within the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and draws from Science & Technology Studies (STS), Development Studies, Political Science, Feminist and Queer theories, Postcolonial Studies, and Critical Theory.
Agentic AI represents a transformative shift in artificial intelligence—where autonomous, proactive decision-making systems can operate within complex workflows, dynamically interact with human users in natural language, and adapt to social and organizational contexts.
Much like the progression from mainframe computing to personal and mobile computing, Agentic AI introduces a new paradigm in human-machine collaboration. However, maximizing the opportunity of these systems requires developing agentic systems that inter-operate not just with individuals but with organizations. This requires the development of cutting-edge methodologies and design frameworks that enhance the integration of AI agents into organizational and social ecosystems. This research focuses on three core areas:
Recognizing the complex challenges and opportunities of Agentic AI, the Social Agentics Lab advocates for a hybrid research model that bridges technical and social expertise. This initiative will explore critical questions, such as: How is social knowledge incorporated into AI models and cognitive architectures? How can AI agents be effectively embedded into existing socio-cultural and organizational systems?
By engaging with these foundational inquiries from both social and technical perspectives, SAL will contribute to ongoing discussions on AI alignment, explainability, architecture, and bias, and generate new agent infrastructures, cognitive architectures, and generate novel agentic systems
Located in the Faculty of Information, at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, the KMDI Makerspace provides faculty and students from across the Tri-Campus with a creative space where they can explore different technologies, be creative, and make things within a collaborative and safe environment.
The KMDI Makerspace has a variety of equipment available for members of the UofT community to use for research projects and related activities, including: 3D printing, 3D scanning, laser cutting, electronic prototyping (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, MakeyMakey), soldering, sewing, digital embroidery, Virtual Reality, and more.
Part of the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI), our Makerspace provides a place for people to learn, interact, and create with technology. The goal of the KMDI Makerspace is to critique and enhance the relationship between technology, media and society at large, all with the hope of creating and making things that improve the lives and enjoyment of others