INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES
ON SCIENCE; TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY (IAS-STS), GRAZ - AUSTRIA


The IAS-STS in Graz, Austria, promotes the interdisciplinary investigation of the links and interactions between science, technology and society, technology assessment, as well as research on the development and implementation of socially and environmentally sound technologies.
For this the IAS-STS invites researchers to apply for a stay between 1 October 2006 and 30 June 2007 as

- Research Fellows (up to nine months) or as
- Visiting Scholars (up to one month)

We also encourage senior scientists - working within the framework of the issues listed below - to apply as

- Guest Lecturers.

The IAS-STS offers excellent research infrastructure. Close co-operation with researchers at the IFZ (Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture; see: www.ifz.tugraz.at), guest lectures, workshops and conferences provide an atmosphere of creativity and scholarly discussion.

Furthermore we can offer five grants (EUR 1,000 per month) for long term Fellows (nine months) at the IAS-STS:

The fellowship programme 2006-2007 is dedicated to projects investigating the following issues:

1. Gender – Technology – Environment
Women with their various interests, competencies and potentials play an important part in the process of shaping socially sound and environmentally friendly sustainable technologies – be it as users and consumers, or as experts. Applications should focus on research in the field of women in traditionally male fields of engineering, on ways of creating cultures of success for women engineers (students, graduates), and on masculinity and the culture of engineering.

2. Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Genetics and Biotechnology
A main focus of the fellowship programme lies on research projects providing a better understanding of human genetics or biotechnology in the context of fabrication, application and regulation. Researchers investigating socio-cultural aspects of genetic testing or risk issues in biotechnology are especially encouraged to apply.

3. Technology Studies and Sustainability
Fellowships will be awarded for research projects contributing to the issue of sustainable development from the perspective of social studies or the history and philosophy of science and technology. Projects should aim at socio-economic aspects of environmental technologies or at strategies of environmental technology policy, such as user participation, strategic niche management or ecological product policy. We encourage both theoretical analysis as well as empirical case studies and implementation research.

4. Information and Communication Technologies
A focus of the fellowship programme will be put on novel developments based on information and communication technologies (ICT) from an STS point-of-view. Topics like embedded systems, ubiquitous computing or ICT applications in traffic systems shall be analysed with respect to their wider social and political implications. Further issues of interest are the social shaping of new ICT developments and participative approaches to the design of ICT systems and applications.

Applications must be submitted to the IAS-STS by 31 December 2005.

For application forms and further information:
Please visit our website: www.sts.tugraz.at

Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society (IAS-STS)
Attn. Guenter Getzinger
Kopernikusgasse 9
8010 Graz – Austria
E-mail: info@sts.tugraz.at