What We Do
Lyn Jeffery
Program Director, IFTF Foresight Essentials
@Lynj | [email protected] | (650) 233-9577
Lyn is a cultural anthropologist who collects stories of change from around the world and tracks the new social practices that make you shake your head in wonder or concern about where we’re heading. Her core interest is in exploring how people make sense of the rapidly shifting world around them, whether it’s a “left-behind” child in a Sichuan village, an executive in a large multinational organization, or an amateur musician experimenting with new VR instruments. She has enduring interests in mobility, social media, communication and collaboration, and over thirty years of experience doing research in China. Specific methodological interests include group processes for insight generation and immersive learning.
An IFTF Distinguished Fellow, Lyn leads IFTF’s Foresight Essentials program, delivering professional foresight training to public and private sector practitioners around the world. Lyn holds a BA in Chinese Studies and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Making the Future
“New social practices are like pivot points to new futures; by understanding the thoughts, assumptions, and motivations behind them, we get a glimpse of emerging possibilities for change, both good and bad.”