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Aktuelle Projekte

Against the background of the necessity to create a sustainable mobility system, different mobility paths for the next decades will be developed and evaluated in this project. For this purpose, an interdisciplinary supported, multidimensional view on the future development of mobility in Styria will be taken, which considers both passenger and freight transport as well as implications for Styria as a production location. The future projections should be flexible enough to integrate recent materializing developments, to strengthen appropriate trends and to change course according to the principle of avoid-shift-improve. The projection period covers the next 20 years in line with the 2040 climate neutrality target at the federal level. The analysis will seek to answer the following specific questions, among others: - What new governance structures and tax needs are derived for spatial, urban, and transportation planning? - What are the requirements for the distribution patterns of housing, workplaces and infrastructure? - How do the different projections affect social inclusion and socio-spatial inequalities? - What is the significance of new social practices, such as the use of "Mobility as a Service" (MaaS) offerings, for the Styrian industry? The project approaches this issue through a broad-based, transdisciplinary backcasting process. With the participation of stakeholders, the neuralgic points of possible development paths are identified and quantitative projection calculations are validated. In addition, this project combines backcasting and scenario analysis in a contrasting and synthesizing way (a methodological approach that is quite innovative in international comparison).
Mitarbeiter*innen
Konsortialführer/in bzw. Koordinator/in bei Kooperationen mit externen Organisationen
Christian Daye
Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Teilnehmer*innen / Mitarbeiter*innen
Roman Prunc
Bakk.rer.soc.oec.
Fördergeber*innen
  • Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Zukunftsfonds Steiermark - Geschäftsstelle, A12
Externe Partner
  • Universität Graz, Wegener Zentrum für Klima und Globalen Wandel
  • Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Institut für Systemwissenschaften, Innovations- und Nachhaltigkeitsforschung
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 28.02.2023
Ende: 30.05.2025
Although there seems to be broad support for a transformation to a hydrogen-based economy, there are different expectations regarding the implementation and design of such an economy. For instance, hydrogen is often seen as an environmentally friendly substitute for fossil fuels, allowing us to maintain our current (globalized) consumption and production patterns in the future. However, hydrogen is also often associated with energy independence from nation states and individual regions. Finally, there are visions that associate a future hydrogen economy with a democratization of the energy system as well as with an establishment of decentralized post-growth societies. There are also different expectations with regard to the production of hydrogen. For example, while some countries focus exclusively on green hydrogen in their hydrogen strategies (i.e. hydrogen produced by electrolysis and renewable electricity), other countries push the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels in combination with carbon (dioxide) capture (blue or turquoise hydrogen). Against this background, this project explores the opportunities available to the Styrian region in terms of increased hydrogen use (and associated R&D&I activities). As in basically all processes of socio-technical change, different logics - and thus different visions of the future - come together in the use of hydrogen. The aim of this project is to map them systematically and to confront them critically with considerations of feasibility. The central result is therefore the description and evaluation of potential future paths for the Styrian region as well as the comparison of these with current R&D&I activities and with developments in the larger context (Austria, EU, global). The results of this research project can subsequently be used as a basis for the continuous design of a Styrian future strategy in the field of hydrogen. Specifically, the following questions will be addressed: - Which different hydrogen visions are discussed in the Styrian context and how are these visions evaluated by experts and stakeholders? - What are the opportunities and risks for those private-sector actors who are to drive this transformation forward? - What socioeconomic effects can be expected? - Which synergies between potential future paths in the field of hydrogen and other Styrian R&D&I activities (in related topics) can be identified? To answer these questions, possible hydrogen future paths for Styria are formulated based on (i) focus groups with stakeholders, (ii) a systematic literature loyalty analysis, and (iii) an analysis of public discourses. Afterwards, these future paths will be critically discussed and evaluated in an exchange with experts and stakeholders. For this purpose, multi-criteria analyses will be performed and causal loop diagrams will be developed. The multi-criteria analyses are based on the Multicriteria Mapping (MCM) approach, which makes it possible to include a variety of relevant perspectives and to systematically illuminate competing views. The causal loop diagrams are based on systems mapping approaches and allow to embed the respective development paths into economic questions.
Mitarbeiter*innen
Konsortialführer/in bzw. Koordinator/in bei Kooperationen mit externen Organisationen
Christian Daye
Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Teilnehmer*innen / Mitarbeiter*innen
Christina Auer
BSc
Michael Kriechbaum
Bakk.rer.nat. BSc MSc PhD
Peter Obersteiner
MSc BA
Fördergeber*innen
  • Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Zukunftsfonds Steiermark - Geschäftsstelle, A12
Externe Partner
  • Universität Graz, Wegener Zentrum für Klima und Globalen Wandel
  • Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Institut für Systemwissenschaften, Innovations- und Nachhaltigkeitsforschung
  • HyCentA Research GmbH
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 30.06.2023
Ende: 30.12.2024
This project aims to present development options and potentials for carbon management in Styria, to locate the most important stakeholders along the value chain and to derive future paths and recommendations for action for the Styrian research and development community and for industrial applications.
Mitarbeiter*innen
Konsortialführer/in bzw. Koordinator/in bei Kooperationen mit externen Organisationen
Karl Steininger
Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.soc.oec.
Projektleiter/in an der OE
Christian Daye
Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Teilnehmer*innen / Mitarbeiter*innen
Raphaela Maier
BSc MSc PhD
Peter Obersteiner
MSc BA
Fördergeber*innen
  • Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Zukunftsfonds Steiermark - Geschäftsstelle, A12
Externe Partner
  • Montanuniversität Leoben, Institut für Verfahrenstechnik des industriellen Umweltschutzes
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 30.09.2023
Ende: 30.03.2025
The provision of scientific knowledge is of great importance for social decision-making processes. The challenge here is to make data and facts on pressing social issues available to citizens and politicians. A technology assessment will examine new ways of evaluating and analyzing personal information using artificial intelligence while fully respecting the right to privacy can be carried out in a socially acceptable manner
Mitarbeiter*innen
Projektleiter/in an der OE
Christian Daye
Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Teilnehmer*innen / Mitarbeiter*innen
Lea Katharina Demelius
Dipl.-Ing. BSc
Roman Prunc
Bakk.rer.soc.oec.
Andreas Trügler
Mag.rer.nat. Dr.rer.nat.
Bernhard Wieser
Assoc.Prof. Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Fördergeber*innen
  • Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Zukunftsfonds Steiermark - Geschäftsstelle, A12
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 31.01.2024
Ende: 30.01.2025
The aim of the proposed study on the technology assessment of artificial intelligence (TA study) is to assess the socio-economic potential of AI-based recommender systems. In particular, opportunities for regional value creation and sustainable development are to be discussed. The results of the TA study provide a basis for software developers and political decision-makers alike. Recommender systems support economic decisions by providing information on selected products and services. This mediation service is all the more useful the more confusing the offer is and the better the selection provided can be tailored to the individual needs and preferences of the information seeker. At the same time, the use of AI-supported recommender systems raises important questions of fairness. What criteria are used to evaluate the actors and offers involved and does the provision of recommendations lead to unintentional discrimination against individual interest groups? As Snoboli et al. (2022) argue, the definition of fairness itself is a multi-stakeholder problem that must be negotiated between the groups involved. The proposed TA study takes up this problem and explains it on the basis of a concrete AI development. The results of the proposed study will be incorporated into the development of recommendations for AI-based recommender systems. These recommendations will be communicated to software developers in the form of design guidelines and made available to policy makers in the form of policy briefs.
Mitarbeiter*innen
Projektleiter/in an der OE
Bernhard Wieser
Assoc.Prof. Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Teilnehmer*innen / Mitarbeiter*innen
Dominik Kowald
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. BSc
Fördergeber*innen
  • Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Zukunftsfonds Steiermark - Geschäftsstelle, A12
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 30.06.2024
Ende: 29.06.2025
The provision of scientific knowledge is of great importance for social decision-making processes. The challenge here is to make data and facts on pressing social issues available to citizens and politicians. A technology assessment will examine new ways of evaluating and analyzing personal information using artificial intelligence while fully respecting the right to privacy can be carried out in a socially acceptable manner
Mitarbeiter*innen
Projektleiter/in an der OE
Christian Daye
Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Teilnehmer*innen / Mitarbeiter*innen
Lea Katharina Demelius
Dipl.-Ing. BSc
Roman Prunc
Bakk.rer.soc.oec.
Andreas Trügler
Mag.rer.nat. Dr.rer.nat.
Bernhard Wieser
Assoc.Prof. Mag.phil. Dr.phil.
Fördergeber*innen
  • Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Zukunftsfonds Steiermark - Geschäftsstelle, A12
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 31.01.2024
Ende: 30.01.2025

DEWISS – Delphi-Verfahren in den Gesundheits- und Sozialwissenschaften. Konzept, methodologische Fundierung und Güte

This research network addresses epistemological and methodological issues of the Delphi procedure and develops guidelines for the procedure’s use and reporting. The network comprises more than twenty scholarly members from various disciplines and pursues four objectives:

  1. To establish a network among scientists and researchers from different disciplines who share an interest in the Delphi method;
  2. To allow for an erudite exchange on theoretical, methodological, philosophical, and technical considerations related to Delphi;
  3. To carry out methodological tests and surveys to improve the methodological foundations of Delphi procedures; and
  4. To develop guidelines that establish a consensual standard on how to carry out and report on Delphi studies in an international context.

This research network is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

Duration: November 2020 to October 2022

Contact at the STS Unit: Mag. Dr. phil. Christian Dayé

For more information, see https://delphi.ph-sg.de/

The sociology of sociological knowledge

How can sociological knowledge be analyzed using sociological tools and models and what social processes and practices constitute sociological knowledge production? These questions have been addressed repeatedly by diverse sociological approaches. However, such debates were often discontinued, they remained insulated or were unrelated to more common issues in academic sociology. To integrate and to further develop sociological approaches to sociological knowledge, this research network focuses on five interrelated topics:

  1. Prospects and problems of transferring models of science and technology studies (STS) into the study of sociological knowledge;
  2. structures and processes of paradigm shifts in sociology;
  3. sociological analysis of sociological methods and methods for analyzing sociological knowledge;
  4. structure and transformation of academic and non-academic publics of sociological knowledge; and
  5. changes and continuities in the disciplinary identity of sociology.

This research network is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

Duration: May 2017 to April 2022

Contact at the STS Unit: Mag. Dr. phil. Christian Dayé

For more information, see http://sociologyofsociology.com/

 

ON-MERRIT – Observing and Negating Matthew Effects in Responsible Research and Innovation Transition

Equity is a key aim of Open Science, but Open Science for the few is just the extension of privilege. Open Science needs resources (funding, time, knowledge, skills), and institutions/individuals traditionally advantaged usually have more of them. This dynamic of cumulative advantage, known as the Matthew effect, has first been described in the 1960s by the sociologist Robert K. Merton. Responsible Research and Innovation, and in particular Open Science, promise a more equitable scientific system whose outputs are more accessible and understandable to the public at large. One concern associated with RRI is that instead of contributing towards equity, responsible research practices might actually worsen existing inequalities.

The project ON-MERRIT investigates the impact of open science practices in academia, industry, and policy with a particular focus on institutions and individuals working in the areas of agriculture, climate and health (key pillars of the UN Sustainable Development Goals). A multidisciplinary team of sociologists, computer scientists, information scientists, cognitive scientists, etc. uses a combination of qualitative and computational methods, complemented by stakeholder engagement and co-creation in order to examine the advantages and disadvantages in responsible and open research practices. ON-MERRIT aims at eventually suggesting a set of evidence-based recommendations for science policies, indicators and incentives, which could address and mitigate Matthew effects.

The use of publicly available scientific outputs by policymakers has been claimed to be one of the benefits of Open Science. However, there is yet little empirical evidence as to the impact of OS practices on research uptake by policymakers. In fact, the relationship between evidence and policy is frequently described as a “gap”, highlighting the difficulties that prohibit the use of scientific evidence in policy making. How can OS impact on policies, then, if policy makers do not make sufficient use of scientific outputs as it is? Based on a comprehensive review of existing literature, Work Package 5 of ON-MERRIT, led by the STS Unit, uses surveys, focus groups and workshops to study possible Matthew effects in policy advice, e.g. whose voices are heard respectively excluded, and for what reasons. The Work Package 5 addresses this question by systematically summarizing the evidence to date on how policy makers use scholarly resources with a special focus on open research practices.

Duration: October 2019-March 2022

Contact at the STS Unit: Assoz. Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wieser

For more information, please visit https://on-merrit.eu/

Record not found: ResearchProject

Technology assessment for GMOs (GVO-TA)

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are routinely assessed by national and EU Competent Authorities (CAs) for their environmental and health risks before market authorisation. The aim of this project is to develop an assessment approach with a broader perspective that could - on a case-by-case basis - complement the statutory health and environmental risk assessment and be employed in CA contexts. To this end, technology assessment and socioeconomic impact assessment approaches of GMOs will be examined for potentially useful assessment approaches as well as for criteria.

Project Manager at the Organizational Unit: Dr. phil. Armin Spök
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Funding sources

  • Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn

External Partners

  • University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
  • GenØk – Centre for Biosafety, Tromsö

Start: 16.12.2019
End: 31.10.2021

Record not found: ResearchProject
With population growing rapidly and within the context of agro-climatic changes, there is an increased demand to sustainably produce nutritious food. In Europe, many nutrient-dense foods are not widely grown and consumed, despite their suitability to European climates and environments, and viability for sustainable production with lower inputs. Underutilised crops that are stress resilient such as rye and legumes, have the potential to supply key nutrients and improve diets and risk of diet-related diseases. Such crops have a long history of cultivation across the continent and are part of the national historic food identity of different European countries yet are underutilised due to several complex reasons. DIVERSICROP addresses these challenges using an innovative, cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary approach by analysing the deep history of underutilised crops in Europe, understanding the genetic diversity and adaptation to climate change of crop germplasm, analysing current regional trends in the consumption of food products and by involving national and EU policymakers and key stakeholders to revive diverse crop production and maximise the impact of Europes agricultural sustainability. DIVERSICROP aims to harmonise fragmented data and develop strategies for the sustainable cultivation of target crops, striking a balance between agricultural sustainability and human nutritional value. DIVERSICROP brings together a skilled and interdisciplinary network to identify climate-resilient crop lines, and potential nutritional and health benefits of their consumption to rethink our food systems. DIVERSICROP will strengthen the Farm to Fork and the Biodiversity strategies under the European Green Deal to contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Mitarbeiter*innen
Projektleiter/in an der OE
Armin Spök
Dr.phil. MSc
Fördergeber*innen
  • Council of the European Union, COST - European cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research
Externe Partner
  • Tallinna Tehnikaülikool, TalTech
  • HOGENT Hogeschool
  • Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS
  • Bulgarian Academy of Science
  • Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, ARO
  • Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita
  • Technische Universität München
  • L-Università ta' Malta
  • Univerzitet Donja Gorica
  • Universitatea din Craiova
  • Universidad de Alicante
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi
  • Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet, NMBU
  • Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica e Biologica, ITQB
  • University of Belgrade
  • University of Banja Luka
  • Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, FiBL
  • Università degli Studi di Padova
  • Dublin City University
  • Cranfield University
  • Sveučilište Sjever
  • Agricultural University of Athens, AUA
  • Kauno technologijos universitetas
  • Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, BOKU
  • Università degli Studi di Firenze
  • Universiteti "Aleksander Moisiu", UAMD
  • Agricultural University of Tirana
  • Palacký University Olomouc
  • University of Patras
  • University College Cork, UCC
Forschungsgebiete
Beginn: 16.10.2023
Ende: 15.10.2027
Kontakt zu den Projektleiter*innen
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Christian Dayé
Z-T-G-001
Z-T-G-002
Z-T-G-003
DEWISS
The sociology of sociological knowledge

Günter Getzinger
Fußgänger
Carbon Diet
Klim2030
LignoFracStore
ParisBuildings

Michael Kriechbaum
HydroFrame

Anna Schreuer
VR4UrbDEV
DeRiskDH
COOL-KIT

Armin Spök
EU-CHIC
GVO-TA

Bernhard Wieser
Unite!WIDENING
Fair RecSys
ON-MERRIT
The “hasty” digitalization: Reflecting on the boost on digital transformation during the COVID-restrictions at TU Graz