NanoDiode launches Citizens’ Survey!

Stakeholder engagement and dialogue are essential to the responsible development of nanotechnologies in Europe, and an in-depth knowledge of public preferences is a prerequisite for responsive policy making.

For this reason NanoDiode asks people to take its Online Survey; it will map non-expert Europeans‘ preferences for fields of nano-innovation, their hopes and concerns. The survey results form the basis for future dialogue and outreach activities of NanoDiode and will hopefully inspire policy-makers, researchers and producers across Europe.

So please invite your friends and family and have your say on the future of nanotechnologies here!

 

 

 

The NanoDiode project

Stakeholder engagement and dialogue are essential to the responsible development of nanotechnologies in Europe. The European FP7 project NanoDiode, launched in July 2013 for a period of three years, establishes an innovative, coordinated programme for outreach and dialogue throughout Europe to support the effective governance of nanotechnologies.

The project integrates vital engagement activities along the innovation value chain: at the level of research policy, research & development (R&D), and the diffusion of nanotechnology innovations in society.

As Horizon 2020 unfolds, the project’s findings will feed into nanotechnology policy debates, R&D, outreach and dialogue activities on nanotechnologies and Responsible Research and Innovation.

The project’s objectives are to:

  • INSPIRE (‘upstream’ public engagement): organising engagement and dialogue in order to determine European citizens’ views on priorities for nanotechnology innovation, by way of surveys , interviews, school kids’ and students’ competitions and multi-stakeholder dialogues.
  • CREATE (midstream’ engagement): carrying out 3rd generation deliberative processes’, bringing together researchers, civil society organisations, industrial partners and policy makers; establishing ‘User Committees’, groups of potential ‘users’ who will identify and discuss key challenges for the coming products; developing ‘Risk governance workshops‘ to discuss sensible ways forward and appropriate risk governance approaches.
  • EDUCATE (downstream strategies):  through a robust education strategy and a series of education activities for secondary education and by bringing together experts and trade unionists and to create a “living” workers-oriented capacity building module for health and safety governance of nanotechnologies at the workplace.
  • ENGAGE (downstream strategies): establishing a coherent programme for outreach and communication on nanotechnologies. “Guerilla stores”, video clips on nanotechnologies (“nano-tube”), and NanoDiode’s website will play a key role in the dissemination and outreach of the project.
  • Assess the impact of the project’s activities, establish links between the various levels of governance, and provide policy feedback with a view to Horizon 2020.

The consortium brings together a strong network of partners from various backgrounds and extending across Europe. Many partners bring their experience as coordinators or participants in earlier European nanotech projects and this will allow the project to look back and identify best practices based on existing experience.

  1. IVAM – Research and Consultancy on Sustainability (NL)
  2. DPF – The Pilot Plant, Consultancy for Responsible Innovation (NL)
  3. USTUTT – Universität Stuttgart – Interdisciplinary Research Unit on Risk Governance and Sustainable Technology Development (DE)
  4. CEA – French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (FR)
  5. AIRI  – Italian Association for Industrial Research (IT)
  6. SIFO – Norwegian National Institute for Consumer Research (NO)
  7. NFA – Nanofutures Association (EU)
  8. ETUI – European Trade Union Institute (BE)
  9. BNN – BioNanoNet (AU)
  10. EUSJA – European Union of Science Journalists’ Associations (EU)
  11. NN Nanonet – Polish Foundation of Nanotechnology and Nanoscience Support (PL)
  12. HB – Studio HB (NL)
  13. Inserm Transfert (FR)

A timetable of the project initiatives in 2014 is given below:

  • Survey and interviews on European Citizens‘ Priorities for Fields of Nano-Innovation (available in nine EU languages):  Open Apr – Jun 2014
  • School Kids‘ and Students‘ Competition on Innovative Ideas:
    Spring – Autumn 2014
  • Series of User Committees on R&D practices for responsible research and innovation: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, 2014-2015
  • Citizen and Multi-Stakeholder dialogues for developing and discussing desired fields of innovation:  Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland: 2014-2015

Project Coordination

Dr Pieter van Broekhuizen
IVAM UvA BV, The Netherlands
E-mail: pvbroekhuizen@ivam.uva.nl

Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterShare on Google+Share on LinkedInEmail this to someone