As data increases it inevitably approaches truth, presenting us with the challenge and responsibility of interpreting it thoroughly and correctly. Creating stories from data allows us to make meaningful connections to the world. The development of new technology and materials provides us with brand-new tools and perspectives to tell stories. We visualize data into new contexts and explore user interfaces as powerful storytelling devices. "Are Stories Data with Souls?" aims to provide a new-level of understanding of the relationship between data and narratives from perspectives of design and technology.

Sey Min is a multi-disciplinary interactive designer, who's interest is in dealing with live data sets in various media formats. She makes projects that reimagine how humans relate to technologies, to societies and cities, and to environments. Combining elements of environmentology, visual art, programming and storytelling, her projects range from building a real time interactive information graphics system for a music club to proposing a boundlessness open gallery exhibition system. She also worked on developing ocean pollution cleaning system, especially oil spills effects to our lives and ecology. Recently, she has worked on the project of 'how to re-define city' with urban data. Her art works have been shown at Art Center in Seoul, Lift conference experience, and have appeared on multiple international media. Sey Min received a M.F.A. in the interactive media from Pratt institute, 2004 and recently worked at MIT SENSEable City Lab, as an urban information design researcher. She is TED Fellow in TED Conference 2011.

Elaine Ng

Elaine Ng Yan Ling graduated with a distinction from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, exploring the function of shape-memory materials. She has focused on how the behavior of natural elements can be manifested in man-made materials to enhance modern architecture and interior design. By programming shape memory materials she explores how tectonic movement can be achieved through natural responses to heat, light and electricity. With a sustainable design philosophy she explores how tectonic movement can be achieved through natural responses to heat, light and electricity. With a sustainable design philosophy she explores living urban textiles and their responses to sun, wind and rain. Techno-Naturology is Elaine’s latest discovery in the relationship between natural formations and technology design. Techno-Naturology is the use of artificial technology to activate and simulate natural reactions. The concept of ‘Naturology’ tectonic motion is not only about mimicking the behavior of nature, but also a means of evoking natural movement within an urban landscape. Techno-Naturology Collection has been nominated for New Design Britain Awards and Elaine has received the New Design Britain Awards 2011 for Surfaces at Interiors, Birmingham UK. Recently Elaine has been selected as a TED Fellow and has shared Naturology during the TED Fellows Pre-conference 2012.

Shu Wei

Wei is a serial entrepreneur, investor and veteran creative designer. She started her first company, Bronze Creative, at the age of 20 and managed it for 7 years as Creative Director and CEO. From 2007 to 2009, she went to Stanford Graduate School of Business and then switched her career path from creative side to finance. In 2010, she joined Renren Inc （NYSE: RENN) as Director of Corporate Development, in charge of Merger & Acquisition, investor relationship, new venture strategy and strategic investment. She also started Jingwei.com, a professional SNS, in parallel. In the end of 2011, she started Civo.im, the global life-sharing platform based on iOS. She is a strong believer of "maximization of people's life experiences" and Civo is, as she planned, the gateway for every user to another life.

Wei holds three degrees in three different area: MBA of Stanford GSB, Master of communications of China Communication University and Bachelor of Economics of China Youth University of Political Sciences. She is also a backpacker, photographer, off road traveler and writer.

Yeeyan is focusing on digital media and digital publishing based on the largest crowd-sourcing community translation website in China. Together with community translators, Yeeyan has succeeded in publishing Out of Control and The Technium by Kevin Kelly, and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, etc. It's also been doing two tours for Kevin Kelly both in 2010 and this April in China, and evoke continuous and influential conversation about technology afterwards.