Registration open for S.NET 2014 [12.08.2014]

From 21 to 24 September 2014, the sixth annual conference of the "Society for the Study of Nanoscience and Emerging Technologies" (S.NET) will be held in Karlsruhe, this time hosted by ITAS. During the four days of the event, two plenary lectures (Sarah Davies and Andy Stirling) and around 100 session presentations by speakers from Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia will give current and multifaceted insights into the research on TA and Responsible Innovation. These are often illustrated using case studies from nanoscience and emerging technologies. Registration is now open here. There you also find a link to the preliminary program and other organizational information.

S.NET, founded six years ago, sees itself as a platform for researchers from different scientific communities, policy makers, public administration and CSOs aiming at the exchange about the social and political perspectives of present and potential future key technologies. In its early days, the main part of the program has been shaped by the US National Science Foundation’s Centers for nanotechnology in society as well as by similar organizations from Europe, Asia and South America. More recently, a significant expansion of the topics has occurred - on the one hand by opening up the program for other "emerging technologies" such as synthetic biology, neurotechnologies or geoengineering, on the other hand, by a broader discussion of concepts like participatory technology assessment or "responsible innovation".

The program also offers open space for forms of deliberation other than scientific discussions, for instance for artistic approaches to the topics mentioned above.