First international guest at the Emerging Tech Lab: Keith Ranaldi pays a visit

On 22 May 2025, Keith Ranaldi, Director of the Digital Innovation Lab at the University of Rhode Island (USA), became the first Emerging Tech Lab Fellow to visit Leuphana.

During his month-long stay at TU Braunschweig, he moderated a discussion on Spaces of Future Tech, during which he presented the Digital Innovation Labs of the University of Rhode Island. At the Future Tech Stage of the University:Future Festival, he presented the virtual campus — a joint project with TU Braunschweig's MediaLab. He then travelled to Lüneburg to continue the discussion about makerspaces and labs.

Mr Ranaldi familiarised himself with the concept of the newly emerging Creative Space for Transformative Technologies and discussed it with the on-site team. He also visited the Experience Lab of the Media and Information Centre (MIZ), learning about current projects and initiatives for students. The exchange of ideas on innovative formats relating to technologies will continue.

The visit was organised by the Emerging Tech Lab. As part of the 'Digital Teaching Hub Lower Saxony', the Emerging Tech Lab helps universities in Lower Saxony to proactively utilise technological innovations and adapt to change. The aim is to strengthen the universities' ability to react and act, as well as their resilience, by recognising, discussing, testing and evaluating new technologies in the areas of studying and teaching at an early stage. To this end, the Emerging Tech Lab will provide scenarios and recommendations for action to support universities in realising the educational potential of emerging technologies and shaping their future.

The Emerging Tech Lab's fellowship programme will bring further guests, including international ones, to Leuphana in the future.