Founder of the Lo—TEK Institute & Lo—TEK Movement Advancing Indigenous Intelligence in Design, Cities & Climate Futures
Julia Watson Biography
Julia Watson is a designer, author, TED speaker, educator and storyteller recognized globally for advancing the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, or TEK, into contemporary design, climate adaptation and urban resilience. She is the founder of the Lo—TEK Office and the Lo—TEK Institute, a certified B Corp in fiscal partnership with the Buckminster Fuller Institute, and she is the founder and co-director of the Lo—TEK Office of Intercultural Urbanism. She teaches at Harvard and Columbia universities and is the author of the books, "Lo—TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism," and "Lo—TEK Water: A Field Guide for TEKnology," which redefine how Indigenous knowledge systems are framed as advanced ecological technologies.
Watson’s career spans academia, research and high-profile consultancy for major corporations and cultural institutions. Her expertise includes regenerative design, TEK-based resilience, sustainable urban environments and equitable technology governance. She speaks internationally about the power of ancestral knowledge and nature-based infrastructures for climate-resilient futures.
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Julia Watson Speaking Topics
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TEKnology: The Future of Innovation Is Ancient
What if our most advanced technologies are thousands of years old? In this inspiring talk, Julia Watson reveals how Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) — Indigenous systems of land, water, and community management — can guide the next evolution of technology and design. From Amazonian agroforestry to Balinese water temples, she shows how these ancient technologies model regeneration, resilience, and reciprocity. Julia introduces the concept of TEKnology: the fusion of TEK and innovation. Audiences will discover how merging ancestral intelligence with modern science can unlock scalable solutions for climate adaptation, urban resilience, and sustainable futures.
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Designing with Nature: The Next Paradigm of Urbanism
Cities have always been humanity’s greatest invention — but now they must become its most regenerative. Drawing from her research and design practice, Julia Watson explores how TEK-informed urbanism can transform cities from extractive systems into living ecologies. She shares real-world examples of TEKnological Urbanism — design frameworks inspired by Indigenous knowledge and ecological intelligence — that demonstrate how cities can adapt to rising seas, resource scarcity, and climate uncertainty. Audiences leave with a new understanding of urban design as a planetary act, one grounded in reciprocity with nature.
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How do I book Julia Watson to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Julia Watson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Julia Watson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Julia Watson or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Julia Watson
Speaking fees for Julia Watson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Julia Watson are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Julia Watson, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Julia Watson speak about?
Julia Watson is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Architecture, Art & Design, Conservation, Creativity, Environment, Futurism, Indigenous Heritage, Innovation, Inspirational, Storytelling, Technology, TED -
Where does Julia Watson travel from?
Julia Watson generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Julia Watson’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Julia Watson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Julia Watson for your next private or corporate function. -
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AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Julia Watson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
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Julia Watson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as TEKnology: The Future of Innovation Is Ancient, Designing with Nature: The Next Paradigm of Urbanism, Radical Indigenism: Reframing Sustainability Through Ancestral Knowledge, Regenerative Futures: Learning From Lo—TEK and Living Systems Thinking: Redesigning Technology, Culture & Climate. The estimated speaking fee range to book Julia Watson for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Julia Watson generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Avni Patel Thompson, Jennifer Borrero, Karen Palmer, Aprille Ericsson and Ayanna Howard. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Julia Watson for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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