Abstracts
10.45 - 11.05 hours
Designing higher education courses inspired by a culture of responsibility: some examples
Valentina Tassone, WUR, Wageningen
Abstract:
How to (re-)design higher education courses, and how to implement teaching and learning practices that attempt to foster a culture of responsibility? In this presentation, by taking a responsible research and innovation perspective, principles for designing curricula and courses will be introduced. We will zoom into course features, pedagogies, and the type of learning that can be fostered for equipping higher education students to engage responsibly into current socio-ecological challenges. Concrete examples will be provided to bring the concept of responsibility into the day-to-day educational practice. Some reflections for embedding an ethos of responsibility in educational policy will be presented too, together with a tool for enhancing reflectivity in universities.
11.35 - 11.55 hours
Assessing student progress in engineering ethics
Michael Klenk, Martin Sand, TU Delft, Delft
Abstract:
Engineering ethics education is proliferating in universities. But measures to assess its success in terms of student progress are highly controversial, and reported effects are of varying magnitude. Success is most frequently measured by reactive measures (e.g. student satisfaction), which does not allow for reliable inferences about student’s progress. Therefore, the present study tested a tailored measure of student progress in ethics and explored the effects of competence beliefs, control beliefs, and student expectations on student progress in engineering ethics. We used a quasi-experimental pre-test / post-test design. A questionnaire was administered online to students in a bachelor and master’s level course in the academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22. We also evaluate a a related potential moderator of student success that has so far not been systematically studied: student expectation. In this talk, we present the first results of our study.
12.50 - 13.40 hours
Interdisciplinary innovation techniques
Nicolò Mossink, Fair Fusion, Emmen
Abstract:
More than half a century ago, Karl Popper (1963) stated: “We are not students of some subject matter, but students of problems. And problems may cut right across the boundaries of any subject matter or disciplines.”
Today’s challenges and phenomena we are trying to understand and solve, ‘overstep’ the boundaries of academic disciplines. Modern technology and globalization add to the complexity of these challenges. People are increasingly aware that an integrated approach is desirable or essential to find solutions. Healthcare, global climate change, food security and quality of life are among a few examples that drive scholars to “cross borders” and engage with experts from a variety of fields to find solutions. In short terms: complex questions require an interdisciplinary approach (Menken et al., 2016).
In the entryway of Humboldt University in Berlin states: “Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it” Karl Marx (1845)
For some of you as impatient as the young Marx the question arises: “What should I do today, so that solving this issue will become a little easier tomorrow?” Answering that question might becomes a easier when you join this seminar. There, we will improve the ability of formulating interdisciplinary research questions which harnesses the power of leverage points and cross boundary innovation.
If you do not know what leverage points are please, have a look at George Monbiot TED talk on wolves in Yellowstone park and Donella Meadows ‘Leverage points: Places to Intervene in a System’ from her book ‘Thinking in a systems’
Videos resources:
Text resources:
https://www.donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Leverage_Points.pdf
https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/
Menken, S., Keestra, M., Rutting, L., Post, G., Roo, M. de, Blad, S., & Greef, L. de (Eds.). (2016). An introduction to interdisciplinary research: Theory and practice. Amsterdam University Press.
13.50 - 14.10 hours
Safe-by-Design: safety as an integral concern of science
Sam Krouwel, RIVM, Bilthoven
Abstract:
The report late lessons from early warnings draws on a range of extensively documented cases to conclude that “time and again we have acted to late” on adverse impacts of innovations. The overview of examples in this report is far from exhaustive. Moreover, novel concerns around adverse impacts of products and chemicals on health and the environment continue to make headlines regularly. Safe-by-Design aims to address the hard challenges behind these types of problems and facilitate a transition to a safer innovation system that supports the transition to a circular economy and sustainable development. Safe-by-Design creates a bridge between technical risk assessment and RRI approaches to address a broad scope of risks and uncertainties around adverse impacts. However, before research and design strategies are to be adopted within R&I practice (future) researchers and innovators will have to acknowledge the immediacy of this issue and develop a sense of ownership around it as part of their professional practice. Do academic researcher/educators in science & engineering disciplines such as biotechnology, nanotechnology or (industrial) chemistry provide the necessary role models for the development of such an attitude?
14.40 - 15.00 hours
Ethical parallel track for innovations
Steven Dorrestijn, Ethics and Technology, Saxion
Abstract:
While the importance of ethics in innovation is being recognized ever more, bridging the gap between ethical theory and technology development in practice remains a challenge. There is a need for practical tools and for integration in the design process. For this purpose, the approach of an “Ethical parallel track for innovations” is being implemented. This is a series of intervention with practical tools for questioning and improving ethical readiness in different stages of an innovation trajectory, from demand, to development, to implementation. The framework and some tools will be presented and illustrated with reference to the case of the development of a Covid rapid test for events.Changing innovation to change the world: a proven regenerative approach
15.00 - 15.20 hours
Changing innovation to change the world: a proven regenerative approach
Geanne van Arkel, Thematic Technology Transfer Circular Technology, Enschede
Abstract:
Geanne will share her experience during her time at Interface, the UN Climate Award winner in 2020. As Head of Sustainable Development Sustainable she has been working in Europe on moving from a responsible restorative strategy to a climate positive regenerative strategy. She will share practical examples from the Interface journey, a stocklisted leader in the modular flooring market. Not only on how they sparked innovation in their company thanks to their sustainability strategy, but also about the important role of engineers to make it happen. And where both industry and education can find inspiration on sustainable innovation and systemic transformation, showing it’s already possible!
Interesting links, mentioned in the presentation can be found here:
#2
Sustainable inspiration and responsible innovation guidelines from nature
https://biomimicry.net/the-buzz/resources/designlens-lifes-principles/
inspiration:
https://asknature.org/
for educators:
https://asknature.org/educators/
#3
The Natural Step & backcasting, start with the end in mind:
https://thenaturalstep.org/approach/
https://thenaturalstep.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/TNS_Success_Story_Interface_2011.pdf
#4
Sustainable responsible innovation and engineering at Interface
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipcQQvYUzxg
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210422416301095
#7
Full transparency – Life Cycle Analysis as a management tool
https://docplayer.nl/9504329-Duurzaam-innoveren-inspireren-en-acceleren-geanne-van-arkel-en-jan-jonker.html (Available in English upon request)
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-full-product-transparency-can-embed-sustainability-core-your-business
Factories as a forest
https://biomimicry.net/the-buzz/news/sbfaf18/
#8
Embedding sustainability - How to change organizations (including education) to change the world
https://interfaceinc.scene7.com/is/content/InterfaceInc/Interface/Americas/WebsiteContentAssets/Documents/Sustainability%2025yr%20Report/25yr%20Report%20Booklet%20Interface_MissionZeroCel.pdf
#9
Raise the bar!
https://drawdown.org/
https://regeneration.org/
https://www.slideshare.net/Interface/lets-start-the-climate-take-back