Introducing SMARTlab New York
SMARTlab New York is an interdisciplinary research hub based in New York City and part of the global SMARTlab network of innovation-focused clusters. Dedicated to socially responsive research, creative technology, and inclusive design, SMARTlab New York fosters collaboration across the arts, sciences, and humanities to address some of today’s most pressing cultural and ecological challenges.
The core team brings together renowned experts and visionary thinkers. Dr. Gayil Nalls, an interdisciplinary artist and sensory theorist, leads projects at the intersection of olfactory heritage, environmental conservation, and public engagement. Dr. Daria Dorosh, an artist and researcher, explores the convergence of fashion, data, AI, and sustainability through feminist and systems-based approaches. Jose Martinez contributes his expertise in digital design and new media technologies to develop impactful solutions for health and longevity.
Together, the SMARTlab New York team is advancing transdisciplinary research and public scholarship through artistic experimentation, technological innovation, and community-centered practice.
Dr Gayil Nalls
Dr. Gayil Nalls is an interdisciplinary artist and sensory theorist whose work with SMARTlab New York centers on the complex relationships between scent, memory, ecology, and cultural identity. Through her founding and leadership of the World Sensorium Conservancy, she has created a globally recognized platform for research and action at the intersection of olfactory heritage and environmental conservation.
Her work is rooted in the understanding that scent is not only a biological and emotional trigger but also a cultural archive. The World Sensorium Conservancy documents and protects the world’s most culturally significant aromatic and medicinal plants, many of which are endangered due to climate change, deforestation, and habitat loss. This living archive is supported by rigorous research, drawing on ethnobotany, conservation science, and community memory to highlight the ecological and cultural importance of iconic species.
Dr. Nalls’s artistic and theoretical practice invites people to engage with scent as a way of reconnecting with place and history. By using scent as a primary medium, her work bridges the sensory and the political, offering experiences that move people beyond visual aesthetics to embodied environmental awareness. From public scent installations to educational campaigns, she encourages participatory experiences that foster ecological empathy and a sense of collective responsibility for the natural world.
Her projects often take the form of collaborative and community-based efforts, connecting local knowledge with global networks. Through the World Sensorium Conservancy, its journal Plantings, and global database, she promotes the stewardship of aromatic plants and traditional ecological knowledge, while advocating for conservation strategies that are as culturally informed as they are scientifically grounded.
More about Dr. Nalls’s work and the World Sensorium Conservancy can be found at worldsensorium.com
Dr. Daria Dorosh
Dr. Daria Dorosh is an artist, designer, and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of fashion, data, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. A pioneer in integrating feminist theory with systems thinking and emerging technologies, she brings decades of experience in both practice and pedagogy to SMARTlab New York. Her interdisciplinary approach reimagines the role of art and design in shaping more equitable and ecologically sound futures.
Central to Dr. Dorosh’s practice is her exploration of how bodies, garments, and information systems interact, challenging conventional narratives in fashion and proposing alternative models rooted in care, repair, and resilience. She is especially interested in how digital tools, AI, and pattern recognition can support sustainable fashion practices and empower individual and collective agency.
Her current experimental project, Be the Museum, is a collaboration with artist Yvonne Shortt that reframes the museum not as a static institution, but as a living, participatory entity. The project invites viewers to rethink authorship, ownership, and visibility in the cultural sector. You can learn more about this work and her contributions on the Museum for Contemporary Artists website, where she maintains dedicated project pages.
Dr. Dorosh’s contributions to SMARTlab New York reflect a commitment to rethinking how knowledge is created, embodied, and shared, inviting new modes of inquiry that merge art, technology, and systems change. Read more about Daria Dorsch’s work at: https://www.dariadorosh.com/
Jose Martinez
Jose Martinez is a digital designer and technologist whose work focuses on the transformative potential of new media technologies to advance human health, well-being, and longevity.
At SMARTlab New York, he applies his expertise in interactive design, user experience, and immersive environments to create innovative tools and platforms that bridge the gap between technology and care.
With a background in digital architecture and systems thinking, Martinez explores how data visualization, sensor-based feedback, and AI-driven personalization can support preventive health strategies and enhance quality of life, particularly for aging populations and communities with limited access to care. His work is deeply human-centered, emphasizing accessibility, empathy, and the lived experiences of users in the design process.
Martinez’s contributions span experimental wellness applications, virtual and augmented reality experiences for therapeutic use, and digital ecosystems that foster behavioral change through engagement and storytelling. At the core of his approach is a belief that technology should not only serve efficiency but also meaning, connection, and resilience.
Through his work with SMARTlab New York, Jose Martinez is helping to redefine the role of creative technology in public health, emphasizing holistic, design-led solutions that respond to real-world needs with innovation and sensitivity.