Energy transition, digitalization, genetic scissors and climate justice - current challenges in technology, medicine and the natural sciences affect our society and raise questions that are central to the humanities and social sciences. The investigation of such interactions between technology, science and society is the focus of Science & Technology Studies (STS). Many researchers in Germany are involved in this growing international and interdisciplinary field of research. Since 2020, they have been using the stsing e.V. association as a platform to network and exchange ideas. The founding conference of the association will be held at TU Dresden from March 19 to 22.

It will be organized by an interdisciplinary team of professors and early-career researchers from TU Dresden. Over four days, more than 250 researchers from 21 countries will come together at TU Dresden to present their current research under the principal topic of "Leakage". The topics range from data management in the healthcare sector and the raw material balance of renewable energy sources to the cultural reclamation of post-mining landscapes and unfair algorithms.

"The motif of leakage challenges established narratives about science and technology," elucidate the organizers the topic of the conference. "For example, we often think about technologies as systems or networks. However, we lose sight of the fact that systems are never completely closed and that even extensive networks cannot capture everything. Of course, we become particularly aware of that when things go wrong and data leaks or oil pipelines leak, for example. Who or what will be affected by the leak and which environments, communities and systems are taken into account when designing new technologies is a societal issue that we would like to examine more closely."

A highlight of the conference will be the presentations by internationally renowned researchers Nerea Calvillo (University of Warwick), Amade M'charek (University of Amsterdam) and Thao Phan (Monash University, Melbourne). In cooperation with the Technische Sammlungen Dresden and the TU Dresden Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden, a public evening event entitled "Leaky Earth" on March 21 will also be dedicated to the artistic examination of science and technology and will present the film and live performance works of renowned artists Rosa Barba, Kat Austen, and Dongjoo Seo.

Journalists are cordially invited to attend the conference and the art performance. The opening of the conference will take place on March 19, 2024, at 1:00 pm in lecture hall E11 in August-Bebel-Straße 20, House 94, in Dresden. You will find the entire program on the website https://sts-leakage.org/.

More information:

Organizers in alphabetical order:
Sandra Buchmüller, Michaela Büsse, Kristiane Fehrs, Moritz Ingwersen, Anja H. Lind, Johanna Mehl, Judith Miggelbrink, Nora Molinari, Michelle Pfeifer, Susann Wagenknecht

Conference homepage: https://sts-leakage.org/

Stsing e.v.: https://stsing.org/

Contact:
Junior Prof. Dr. Moritz Ingwersen
Junior Professorship in North American Literature with a Focus on Future Studies
Institute for English Studies
Tel.: +49 351 463-34918

Junior Prof. Dr. Susann Wagenknecht
Junior Professorship in Micro-Sociology and Techno-Social Interaction
Institute of Sociology
Tel.: +49 351 463-37375