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Alessandro Delfanti, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow,
University of California, Davis
Curriculum vitae, December 2014
Science and Technology Studies Program, University of California Davis
1 Shields Ave, Davis, California, 95616
delfanti.org | icis.ucdavis.edu | adelfanti@ucdavis.edu
Current position
Postdoctoral fellow, Science & Technology Studies and Innovating Communication in Scholarship
University of California, Davis
September 2014 –
Past positions
Media@McGill postdoctoral fellow
Department of Art History and Communication Studies, McGill University, Montreal
September 2013 – August 2014
Supervisor: prof. Gabriella Coleman (Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy)
Adjunct professor (a contratto)
Department of Informatics and Communication, University of Milan
February 2012 – February 2014
Education
Ph.D., Science and Society, University of Milan and SISSA, Trieste, July 2011
Dissertation: “Genome hackers. Rebel biology, open source and science ethic”
Supervisor: Prof. Adam Arvidsson
Summer school in Comparative Sociology of Information Societies, University of Oslo, July 2009
Master, Science Communication, SISSA, Trieste, December 2007
Dissertation: “What Dr. Venter did on his holidays: the Sorcerer II and the public communication of biotechnology.” Final
mark: 30/30 with distinction
Supervisor: Prof. Yurij Castelfranchi
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Parma, March 2001
Dissertation: “Transgenic animals as patentable inventions. The European law.” Final mark: 100/110
Supervisor: Prof. Angiola Ferrari
Grants, awards and fellowships
Bright Ideas Fellow, ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum, University of Edinburgh
January – February 2012
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Visiting research student, UCLA Center for Society and Genetics, Los Angeles
June – December 2010
Supervisor: prof. Christopher Kelty
Research grant, Innovations in the Communication of Science (ICS), SISSA
June – December 2007
International prize “The Need to Redefine Patent Law,” Associazione culturale Punto rosso
October 2004
Erasmus grant, University of Zaragoza
September 1999 – September 2000
Other professional activities
Free lance journalist: Le Scienze (Italian edition of Scientific American), Il Manifesto, Il Corriere della Sera, La
Repubblica, and others. Areas covered: digital cultures, science politics, social movements
2006 – present
Special issues editor and peer review coordinator, Journal of Science Communication
2008 – 2012
Veterinary clinician
2001 – 2005
Professional translator (English to Italian)
2006 – present
Publications
BOOKS
Delfanti, A., 2013. Biohackers: The Politics of Open Science, London: Pluto Press
(Italian translation: Biohacker. Scienza aperta e società dell'informazione, Milano: Eleuthera, 2013)
Arvidsson, A. and Delfanti, A., 2013. Introduzione ai media digitali. Bologna: Il Mulino
ARTICLES
Söderberg, J., and Delfanti, A., “Hacking hacked. The life cycles of digital innovation,” Science, Technology & Human
Values (accepted)
Casemajor, N., Couture, S., Delfin, M., Goerzen, M., and Delfanti, A., “Non-participation in digital media. Toward a
framework of mediated political action,” Media, Culture & Society (in press)
Delfanti, A., 2013. “Geni ribelli. La open science nell’immagine pubblica di due biologi,” Tecnoscienza, Italian Journal
of Science & Technology Studies 4 (2), pp. 27-50
Delfanti, A., 2011. “Hacking genomes. The ethics of open and rebel biology,” International Review of Information Ethics,
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Delfanti, A., 2010. “Users and peers: from citizen science to P2P science,” Journal of Science Communication 9 (1)
Delfanti, A. et al., 2009. “What dr. Venter did on his holidays. Exploration, hacking, entrepreneurship in the narratives of
the Sorcerer II expedition,” New Genetics and Society 28 (4), pp. 415-430
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EDITED WORKS
Delfanti, A. and Söderberg, J. (eds), 2015. “Special issue: New perspectives on hacking,” Science, Technology & Human
Values (in press)
Söderberg, J. and Delfanti, A. (eds.), 2012. “Special issue: Expanding the frontiers of hacking,” Journal of Peer
Production special issue, 2
Delfanti, A. (ed), 2011. “Know your genes. The marketing of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.” Journal of Science
Communication 10 (3)
Delfanti, A. (ed.), 2010. “Special issue: User-led and peer-to-peer science,” Journal of Science Communication 9 (1)
CHAPTERS
Delfanti, A. and Iaconesi, S., 2016. “Open Source Cancer. Brain Scans and the Rituality of Biodigital Data Sharing,” in
Barney, D., Coleman, G., Ross, C., Sterne, J. and Tembeck, T. (eds): The Participatory Condition. Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota Press (in press)
Delfanti, A., 2014. “Is do-it-yourself biology being co-opted by institutions?,” in Bureaud, A. and Whiteley, L. (eds):
Meta-life. Biotechnologies, Synthetic Biology, Alife and the Arts, MIT Press, 2014
Delfanti, A., 2013. “La scienza aperta nell'era dei media digitali,” in Bertram, N. (ed.): Sociale, digitale. Trasformazioni
della cultura e delle reti. Milano: Doppiozero
Delfanti, A., 2012. “Tweaking genes in your garage: biohacking between activism and entrepreneurship,” in Wolfgang
Sützl and Theo Hug (eds): Media Activism and Biopolitics. Critical Media Interventions in the Age of Biopower.
Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press, pp. 163-178
EDITORIALS, SHORT PAPERS AND REPORTS
Delfanti, A., 2014. “Curami, curami, curami! Malattia e condivisione in rete,” Studi culturali 1, pp. 82-88
Mancuso, M., Delfanti, A., et al. (eds.), 2012. “The open future,” special issue of Musique et Cultures Digitales vol. 68,
pp. 1-132
Delfanti, A., 2012. “Open access and science communication. Reflections on the need for a more open communication
environment.” Journal of Science Communication 11 (2)
Delfanti, A., 2011. “Where is public communication of science going?,” Journal of Science Communication 10 (2)
Delfanti, A., 2011. “Internet fra dono e mercato, discussione su Marco Aime e Anna Cossetta Il dono al tempo di internet,”
Studi Culturali vol. 8, pp. 107-124
Niessen, B. et al. (co-author), 2010. “Openwear. Sustainability, openness and P2P production in the world of fashion,”
research report of the EDUfashion project
Delfanti, A., 2010. “Open science, a complex movement,” Journal of Science Communication 9 (3)
Picardi, I. and Delfanti, A., 2009. “ScienceDebate2008. Scienza, politica e web nelle presidenziali USA,” in Pitrelli, N. et
al., Atti del VII Conv. Naz. sulla Comunicazione della Scienza, Polimetrica, pp. 167-174
Delfanti, A. (ed.), 2008. “Web and collaborative science,” Journal of Science Communication 7 (2)
BOOK REVIEWS
“By any media necessary. Disturbances” by Critical Art Ensemble, Digicult, 2013
Cyberchiefs by O’Neil, M., New Media and Society, 12, 2010
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Communicating Biological Sciences by Nerlich, B. et al., Tecnoscienza, 1 (1), 2010
Communication Power by Castells, M., Journal of Science Communication, 8 (4), 2009
The Scientific Life by Shapin, S., Journal of Science Communication, 8 (1), 2009
“How-to establish PCST. Two handbooks on science communication.” Review of Handbook of Public Communication of
Science and Technology by Bucchi, M. and Trench, B. and Communicating Science in Social Contexts by Cheng, D. et al.,
Journal of Science Communication, 7 (4), 2008
Teaching
COURSES
“Online cooperation in daily life,” undergraduate seminar, spring 2015
B.A. Science and Technology Studies, Science and Technology Studies Program
University of California, Davis
“Online cooperation in daily life,” undergraduate seminar (39 hours, 3 credits), fall 2013
B.A. Communication Studies, Department of Art history & Communication Studies
McGill University, Montreal
“Sociology of new media,” graduate course (48 hours, 6 credits), spring 2012 and spring 2013
M.A. Informatics and Communication, Department of Information & Communication Studies
University of Milan
TEACHING ASSISTANT
“Sociology of new media,” prof. Adam Arvidsson, spring 2010 and 2011
M.A. Informatics and Communication, Department of Information & Communication Studies
University of Milan
“New media and communication,” prof. Adam Arvidsson, spring 2010 and 2011
B.A. Communication and Society, Department of Social and Political Studies
University of Milan
SELECTION OF INVITED LECTURES
Lecture: The post-digital (2 hours)
Course: “Perspectives on the Information Society,” prof. Samantha Thrift, Winter 2014
B.A. Communication, Concordia University, Montreal
Seminar: Hacking and Biomedicine (3 hours)
Doctoral seminar, URBEUR PhD Programme, University of Milan Bicocca, Winter 2014
Lecture: Participatory medicine (3 hours)
Course “Medical Performance in Visual Culture and Contemporary Art,” dr. Tamar Tembeck, Winter 2014
B.A. Art History, McGill University, Montreal
Modules: Open science (3 hours); Patients and participatory media (3 hours)
Course “Information systems,” prof. Nico Pitrelli, Fall 2013
Master in Science Communication, SISSA, Trieste
Lecture: Open science (1 hour)
Course “Scientific and technological controversies,” prof. Gabriella Coleman, Fall 2013
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M.A. Communication, McGill University
Lecture: Science and digital media (2 hours)
Course “Sociology of journalism,” prof. Sergio Splendore, Spring 2012
Communication, Innovation and Multimedia, University of Pavia
Lecture: Craig Venter and science commodification (1 hour)
Freshman seminar “Heroes, villains, and nerds: Being a scientist in the world today,” prof. Christopher Kelty, Fall 2010
University of California, Los Angeles
Lecture: Biotech: science, business and show business (2 hours)
Course in “Philosophy and life sciences,” prof. Mauro Capocci, Spring 2008 to 2011
Università La Sapienza, Roma
Student supervising
Michele Bellone, M.A. Thesis: “Digital ethnography of online anti-vaccination movements,” to be discussed in 2015
Master in Science Communication, SISSA, Trieste
Davide Mancino, M.A. thesis: “Shutting down Nature: The SCOAP3 project and the future of scholarly publishing,”
December 2013
Master in Science Communication, SISSA, Trieste
Filippo Bonaventura, M.A. thesis: “'It was from there that we emerged, to see the stars'. Communicating astronomical
culture in Italy,” February 2012
Master in Science Communication, SISSA, Trieste
Gabriele Ferrari, M.A. thesis: “Oppenheimer at the Playstation: How videogames narrate nuclear power,” February 2011
Master in Science Communication, SISSA, Trieste
Conferences
“Towards a critique of hacker practices and politics”
Canadian Communication Association, St. Catharines, Ontario, 2014
“File sharing: not movies but biomedical data”
World Social Science Forum, Montreal, 2013
Convenor of the panel “Hacking STS: bio-hacking, open hardware development, and hackerspaces.” Paper presented:
“Biohacking and the meanings of openness in the life sciences”
4S/EASST conference, Copenhagen, 2012
Chair of the roundtable “Does PCST belong in the university?”
International Public Communication of Science and Technology conference, Florence, 2012
“Le politiche del biohacking: DIYbio nel capitalismo digitale”
STS Italia conference, Rovigo, 2012
“Internet e la torre d'avorio della scienza”
Internet Governance Forum Italia, Trento, 2011
“Hacking genomes. A study of open source biotech ethos”
Ten Years After: Mapping the Societal Landscape of Genomics Conference, Amsterdam, 2010
Risky Enanglements? Contemporary Research Cultures Imagined and Practised, Vienna, 2010
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“ScienceDebate2008. Web2.0 e scienza nelle presidenziali Usa”
Science Communication Conference, Forlì, 2008
“What dr. Venter did on his holidays: the Sorcerer II and the public communication of biotechnology”
Italian Society for the Philosophy of Sciences Conference, Milano, 2008
Public Communication of Science and Technology World Congress, Malmö, 2008
Invited talks and panels
Seminar, “Vers une biologie citoyenne?”
University of Lausanne
Talk, “Open source cancer: hacking and biodigital rituals of sharing,” workshop on Medicine, the Body, and the Digital
Revolution”
University of Zurich, 2014
Talk, “Citizen biology: from kitchens to institutions,” Garages, Kitchens and Hackerspaces conference
European University, St Petersburg, 2014
Talk, “Open science, revolution or continuity?,” international seminar Open Science, Open Issues
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Open Knowledge Foundation Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 2014
Public talk, “Open source cancer: hacking and biodigital rituals of sharing,” Art/Science Salon
University of Toronto, 2014
Public talk, “Biohackers. The politics of open science”
McGill University, Montreal, 2014
Seminar, “File sharing: medical data and collective cure in the digital sphere”
Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, 2014
Public talk, “Biohackers. The politics of open science”
Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, 2014
Invited talk, “Challenges of open science”
Celsius Science & Society seminar, Dublin City University, 2014
Chair of the panel “Under the skin: Revealing invisible data”
Transmediale festival, Berlin, 2014
Invited talk on “Participatory medicine”
Media@McGill speaker series, McGill University, Montreal, 2014
Seminar, “What is open science?”
Open science workshop, Université du Québec a Montréal, Montreal, 2013
Talk, “Pirate modernities”
Internet festival, Pisa, 2013
Talk, “Biohacker contaminations”
The spaces of hacking Simposium, Montreal, 2013
Chair, panel on Open science
Convegno nazionale sulla comunicazione della scienza, Trieste, 2013
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Seminar, “Web e medicina: la salute vien cliccando”
SISSA, Trieste, 2013
Public talk, “La scienza aperta e le istituzioni della ricerca”
World Wide Rome – Open Science, Roma, 2013
Roundtable, “Medicina 2.0. La ricerca sulla CCSVI e i social media”
Master in Giornalismo e comunicazione della scienza, Università di Ferrara, 2013
Seminar, “Commoning in open science”
Bartleby, Bologna, 2013
Talk, “Citizen science and new forms of collaboration”
Challenges to Researching, Engaging & Governing the Messiness of Convergence workshop, University of Edinburgh,
2012
Public talk, “DIYbio: Empowerment or anarchy?”
Edinburgh International Book Festival, 2012
Seminar, “Genome hackers”
Sociology department, University of Goteborg, 2011
Seminar, “Hacking genomes”
History of Science Colloquiums, University of California Los Angeles, 2010
Talk, “The dark side of open access”
Workshop on Technoscience and Knowledge Society, Università di Bologna, 2010
Talk, “Who owns science?”
Plagiarism in Science and Technological Evolution Symposium, Università di Trento, 2010
Talk, “Da Santoro al popolo viola. La determinazione mediatica del dibattito politico”
Department of Political Science, Università di Padova, 2010
Talk, “Young people and the web”
Tech it Easy Conference, Università di Milano Bicocca, 2008
Research activities
Research team leader, “The predicament of participation”
The Participatory Condition Conference and POOC (Participatory Open Online Course), 2013 – 2014
McGill University, Montreal – www.pcond.ca
Member of the research group “Bits, Bots and Bytes,” 2013 – present
McGill University, Montreal
Co-author of the final report, “Openwear,” EU project on collaborative fashion production, 2010 – 2011
University of Milan
Participant, “Brains in dialogue (BID),” European FP7 project on stakeholders in brain diseases, 2008
SISSA, Trieste
Member of the research group “Innovations in the communication of science” (ICS), 2007 – present
SISSA, Trieste
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Academic and professional service
CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION
“The place of culture in open access,” (tentative title) international seminar
ICIS project, University of California Davis, Spring 2015
Speaker series, ICIS project and Science and Technology Studies Program
University of California Davis, 2014/15
International workshop “Circulating genomes: sharing in the life sciences sector”
ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum, University of Edinburgh, 2012
JOURNAL REVIEWS (2009 – PRESENT)
International Journal of Cultural Studies (1); In Circulation (1); Journal of Peer Production (1); Systems and Synthetic
Biology (1); Journal of Organizational Change Management (2); Journal of Science Communication (4); Tecnoscienza,
Italian Journal of Science and Technology Studies (1)
SCIENTIFIC BOARDS
Journal of Peer Production, 2011 – present
National conference on science communication, Trieste, 2013
Workshop “Science journalism and power in 21st century,” Trieste, 2010
National conference on science communication, Forlì, 2008
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
National Journalists Association, Bologna, Italy (pubblicista), 2010 – present
Society for Social Studies of Science
STS Italia – The Italian Society of Science and Technology Studies
DISCUSSANT
Book presentation: Paolo Magaudda, Oggetti da ascoltare, Bologna: Mulino, 2013
University of Milan, March 2013
Seminar: “Linking social struggles across multiple arenas and spatial scales,” Markus Schulz
University of Milan, March 2013
Ph.D. Dissertation: Maggie Curnutte, “Consuming genomes: The coproduction of a new social and technological order
for genetic testing”
Fondazione Bassetti, Milan, May 2011
Selection of recent popular pieces
“Rivoluzione open science impossibile senza fama e soldi,” Pagina99, 2014
“Trial clinici e trasparenza,” Le Scienze, 2013
“L’hacker che aiuta la scienza e il mercato,” Il Corriere della Sera, 2013
“Open Science and the Ambivalence of the Digital Economy,” Castac Blog, 2013
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“Beppe Grillo, il culto dell’esperto contro la «kasta» scientifica,” Il Manifesto, 2013
“Nerd pride! La strana vita di Alan Turing,” Doppiozero, 2013
Translations (English to Italian)
Lanier, J., Who Owns the Future? Milano: Il Saggiatore, 2014
Lovink, G., Zero Comments. Milano: Bruno Mondadori, 2008
Benkler, Y., The Wealth of Networks. Milano: Università Bocconi Editore, 2006
Selection of recent dissemination and public activities
“Open Science 101,” Skills seminar for graduate students in nanotechnology and biotechnology, May 2014
McGill University, Montreal
“#sciencehack,” invited participation to hackaton and unconference, March 2014
Synbiota, Haliburton, Ontario
“Science and the media,” lecture (2 hours), course in History, fall 2013
Feltrinelli high school, Milano
“minculPOP,” mini-course on social media for political activists (12 hours), 2012
Pianoterra Lab, Milano
Cultural organizer on topics related to digital media and politics, Pianoterra, Milan. Events organized include talks by
Michel Bauwens, Johan Söderberg, Carola Frediani, and several others, 2011 – present
Selection of media appearances
BOOK REVIEWS
“Rebels or profiteers?,” Science, August 2014
“Apologia di un hacker,” L'Espresso, May 2014
“Biohackers by Alessandro Delfanti,” The Guardian, July 2013
“Can do-it-yourself biology change science or save a life?,” TechPresident, December 2013
“La cultura hacker incontra le scienze della vita,” Le Scienze, November 2013
“L'open source irrompe nei laboratori e cambia le regole del gioco scientifico,” Il Manifesto, Oct. 2013
“Biohackers by Alessandro Delfanti,” Post Magazine, July 2013
“Quelle frontiere dell'ambivalenza,” Il Manifesto, April 2013
INTERVIEWS
“Italian heralds crowdsource in battle with brain cancer,” Montreal Gazette, February 2014
“Delfanti, ricercatore piacentino: quando la rete 'cura' il cancro,” La Libertà, August 2013
“I pionieri della scienza fai-da-te,” La Repubblica, December 2012
“Il business dei sani,” E - Emergency magazine, October 2011
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RADIO INTERVIEWS
“Biohacking,” CKUT, Montreal, April 2014
“Do-it-yourself biology,” Rai Radio 3, December 2013
“Biohacker,” Radio Città del Capo, October 2013
“Biohacker,” Radiopopolare, October 2013
“L'Europa e l'open access,” Radio Città del Capo, April 2013
“I test genetici e il mercato,” Rai Radio1, October 2011
Political activity
Member, EuroMayDay Network and San Precario Collective (activism on precarious labor and new forms of welfare)
2004 – present
“Cook”, Los Angeles Bycicle Kitchen (community bicycle repair shop)
2010 – 2011
Member, LASER group (Autonomous Laboratory for Science, Epistemology and Research)
2007 – 2008
Languages and other skills
Italian: Native language
English: Excellent. Experience as a professional translator; residence in US, UK and Canada (three years)
Spanish: Excellent. Experience as a professional translator; residence in Spain (one year)
French: Advanced
Lab skills: basic microbiology; cytology; PCR; hematology. Experience in microbiology and cytology laboratories: three
years
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