From 2016-2020 Dr. Droumeva has been organizing an annual symposium called "Livable Cities." The symposium started at the Western Front, then moved to the Anvil Centre in the city of New Westminster, then to SFU Harbour Centre, and finally, in 2020, virtually in association with CASE (the Canadian Association for Sound Ecology). The topic of "Livable Cities" has revolved around the less discussed, material, sensorial and social justice aspects of urban design, urban planning, and city governance. In 2020 a targeted version of the symposium was held virtually in collaboration with HCMA Architecture + Design, focusing on pain points in urban soundscape design towards creating inclusive and balanced alternatives. The symposium has also served as a venue for upper-level students from the School of Communication to showcase their work. Read the Georgia Straight story here from the very first session of the symposium.
Events and Media
Soundwalks (selected)
July 18, 2023 "Listening to the Mountain" - a soundwalking event for World Listening Day focused on visiting the Trans Mountain Pipeline site down the mountain from SFU campus. Read Peak story here.
Summer 2022: Series of three workshops in sound by visiting artist and post-doc Dr. Jacek Smolicki.
- Soundwalking Workshop I / Intertidal Zones. Ecotonal Listening / August 5
- Soundwalking Workshop II / Soundmarks and Sound-scars. Palimpsestic Listening / August 12
- Soundwalking Workshop III / Trees and Logs. Arboreal Listening / August 19
July 14, 2022 - Soundwalking with Milena (SFU Communication story by Kara Towes) Read it here.
July 18, 2022 - World Listening Day soundwalk with Milena Droumeva and Jaceck Smolicki - SFU Burnaby / augmented listening on the WLD's 2022 theme Transitions/Transformations
September, 2020 - Soundwalk with HCMA and Sound Intervention workshop (virtual) Read an interview with RA Lauren Knight here.
July 18, 2016 - Soundwalk for World Listening Day with CET at SFU
Media / Podcast / Interviews (selected)
World listening day explores nature and human activity. The Peak, written by Eden Chipperfield - August 2023
Cityscape: Top 5 SSHRC Storyteller award goes to Zora Feren. Vancouver Sun interview - May 2022
Urban Imaginaries: Cityscape. A guest produced podcast for The Place of Sound - March 2022
Sonic Media and Ways of Hearing, with Milena Droumeva from SFU: Interview by Karan Darricades - January 2021
Future life, Future Sound. An interview with Valeria Caputo and Sara Lenzi - May 2020
Voice Makes us Human Except When it Doesn't: Sounding Out Sexism in Videogames. TEDxSFU talk. - November 2018
Academic Events and Talks (selected)
Sept 21, 2023 - Playing the City Soundscape. Public Lecture part of the Lulu Series at Richmond City Hall
June 8, 2021 - Livable Cities 2021: "Decolonizing Livable Cities" - A Conversation with Dr. Dylan Robinson (virtual)
April 28, 2019 - Livable Cities: "Bridges and Paths" - SFU Harbour Centre (half day symposium with poster session and discussion panel)
March 1, 2018 - Livable Cities (afternoon symposium with keynote and poster session) - in conjunction with the Intelligent City symposium at New Westminster
