Lizard struggles to write their graduate thesis, all while dealing with the challenges of a mom undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease and arguing with their partner Gecko, an engineer at an AI company who doesn’t share Lizard’s paralyzing apprehensions about technology. A Master of Ceremonies (AKA MC Lizard) guides the reader, breaking the story’s fourth wall from the stage of a surreal jazz club frequented by anxious PhD students. 

Characters explore topics as diverse as Brain–computer interfaces, Large Language Models (LLMs, e.g. ChatGPT), Dual-use (military/civilian) ethics, bias in facial recognition algorithms, gender dynamics in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and workplaces, surveillance capitalism, social media addiction, and Indigenous Data Sovereignty.

Written by Nora Rosenthal
Illustrations by Natalie King
Research Team: PI: Dr. Rebecca Caines (York University), Dr. Gunnar Blohm (Queens University), Dr. Kai Zhuang (York University), Nora Rosenthal (independent writer and filmmaker)