January 2015:
The EST-Frame project is now finalised. In addition to the project publications the project developed an integrated approach to assessment of emerging science and technologies: the TranSTEP approach. Please visit the TranSTEP webpages to learn more.
Assessment frameworks
Good technology assessment is a precondition for good technology governance. In EST-Frame we explore the relations between the different assessment frameworks currently in use for assessing new technologies, most notably, impact assessment, risk assessment, ethical assessment, technology assessment, foresight and economic assessment, with the aim of identifying the potential for an integrated assessment framework.
Case study: Nano foods
Nanotechnology, covering a broad array of innovations, is about the manipulation or self-assembly of individual atoms, molecules, or molecular clusters into structures to create materials and devices with new or vastly different properties. Allegedly nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural and food industry.
Case study: New ICTs
New information and communication technologies (ICTs) thoroughly revolutionize the way we do government, health care, education, business and social relationships. Promoted by governments across the globe ICT strategies and policies for digital societies embrace new and emerging ICTs in order to address societal challenges such as sustainability and climate protection, growing senior populations, rising unemployment numbers and economic crisis.
Case study: Synthetic biology
Synthetic biology is a new and emerging, interdisciplinary research field. It is based on molecular biology, uses genetic engineering and knowledge from whole genome sequencing and functional genomics studies, and draws on systems biology. As a technology that bears the potential to "build life" synthetic biology raises an array of societal and ethical concerns.
Case study: New biofuels
Bioenergy is renewable energy that is produced from biological sources, biomass, which can be used for heat, electricity and transportation fuel, and associated co-products. Biofuel refers to liquid fuels produced from biomass. Although bioenergy has been used for centuries, recent commercial biofuel manufacture and the development of biotechnologies to support new forms of production have raised a wide range of social and ethical aspirations and concerns.
Thomas Reiss, Rasmus Nielsen, Heidi Bergsli, Kamilla Kjølberg, Ralf Lindner, Volkert Beekman, Frans Brom, Rob Smith, Ellen-Marie Forsberg, Erik de Bakker, Davy van Doren, Anne-Charlotte Hoes, Marian Deblonde, Jan Bakkes, Kjetil Rommetveit, Lars Klüver, Nina Bryndum, Nils Heyen, Carolien de Lauwere, Karel Haegeman, Kate Millar and Tore Tennøe. From a consortium meeting with the advisory committee. For all project members, please see 'partners'.
About EST-Frame
EST-Frame brings together a team of lead scientists in Europe, and the overall aim is to contribute to socially robust and ethically sound research and technology development by providing further methodological development of appropriate tools for social impact assessment and technology evaluation.
TranSTEP
is the result of the EST-Frame project and published as a separate website on transtepapproach.wordpress.com
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EST-frame
Coordinator - Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
Funding - FP7 - Science in Society
Duration - 2012-2014