Science, Technology, and Society: RRI Course by Digital Life Norway
This 5 ECTS course prepares PhD candidates and early career researchers within biotechnology, life science and neighbouring scientific fields to adopt Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in their research practice. You can apply for travel and accommodation grant.
Hovedinnhold
Time and place: June 7-9, 2023, plus August 23-25, 2023, in Oslo (Kristine Bonnevies hus Gran 4424)
This course prepares PhD candidates and early career researchers within biotechnology, life science, and neighboring scientific fields to adopt Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in their research practice. We introduce the body of academic knowledge underpinning the RRI concept, namely Science and Technology Studies (STS) and history, philosophy, and sociology of science. The main course objective is to enhance participant’s knowledge of how scientific work is intertwined with changes in society and to introduce them to ideas of democratization of science and current international discussions on RRI. We will combine theoretical insights with long group discussions and hands-on exercises of applying RRI-methods in the context of participants’ research projects. Discussions on the strengths of limitations of the concept of RRI in research practice will be included.
Registration deadline: 17 April
Learning outcome
After completing the course (learning outcome), the students shall:
- Understand theories that show how science and technology development is neither deterministic nor value-free, and that R&D has enormous potential to redefine the meaning of being human and the conditions of human existence.
- Understand the way of thinking RRI is based on and know its central dimensions.
- Be able to engage in broader debates surrounding their research and address social, ethical, political, and economic aspects of their work.
- Be able to critically reflect on the R&D system and take part in initiatives for its improvement.
Learning methods and activities
- Stipulated course credits: 5 ECTS
- Mandatory participation in teaching and team assignments.
- Participants will conduct comprehensive homework in the form of a hands-on exercise between the two gatherings as part of the assignment.
- A written paper (approx. 3,000 words) in which the candidate discusses her or his own research project in light of the course contents
Course participation requires admission to a PhD program in Norway, but postdocs are also welcome to participate. Course literature will be distributed to participants in due time before the course.
Digital Life Norway Research School (a CCBIO partner) supports all Research School members with travel grants to cover travel- and accommodation costs.
Background
The Centre for Digital Life Norway represents a strategic initiative of the Research Council of Norway that aims at fostering innovation and value creation in Norwegian biotechnology. To this end, stimulating the tight cooperation among Norwegian biotechnology communities and the integration of ‘Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)’ as crosscutting principles are envisioned as important pillars in achieving that goal.
Read more about the Centre for Digital Life Norway and RRI.
Teachers
Roger Strand, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU & Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities, and CCBIO, University of Bergen.
Contact person
Rosalie Zwiggelaar, Research School coordinator: rosalie.zwiggelaar@ntnu.no