Greenhouse Gas Emission - STS Conference Graz 2024
7 August 2024
We estimated the distances traveled by participants through a survey and calculated the kilograms of greenhouse gases emitted during their journeys to Graz and back home for the STS-Conference Graz 2024. We are very pleased that only one third of the kilometers traveled by participants were by plane, and that 62% of the kilometers were traveled by public transportation (train, bus). However, 61 tons of CO₂ were still emitted due to traveling, almost 90% of which was due to travel by plane.
Our goal for the STS-Conference 2025 is to keep the greenhouse gas emissions from travel below 50 tons of CO₂e.
Poster Award goes to Anna Semenko
19 July 2024
Congrats to Anna Semenko for achieving the Poster Award (VanillaFlow - EIC pathfinder project) at the IFBF - International Flow Battery Forum, which took place from June 25-27, 2024 in Glasgow.
Symposium on Christian Dayé's Book "Experts, Social Scientists, and Techniques of Prognosis in Cold War America"
12 June 2024
The journal The American Sociologist has just published a symposium on Christian Dayé's book, Experts, Social Scientists, and Techniques of Prognosis in Cold War America, published 2020 with Palgrave Macmillan.
Contributions came from an illustrious round of high-level scholars: Naomi Oreskes, Jamie L. Pietruska, Anne Warfield Rawls, Kerstin E. Cuhls, Karlheinz Steinmüller, Lukas Griessl, Stephen Turner, and Rose M. Brewer.
More details: https://link.springer.com/journal/12108/volumes-and-issues/55-2
STS Conference Graz 2024
13 May 2024
Thank´s to all participants of this year´s STS Conference Graz!
save the date: STS Conference Graz 2025, May 5-7.
Lecture - Michael Kriechbaum: Key to the energy transition? Hydrogen futures in the context of national climate protection goals
23 April 204
As part of the Holzwelt Murau energy camp Hydrogen – Power for Change?, April 25th and 26th 2024, our colleague Michael Kriechbaum will give a lecture on April 25th at 2 p.m. on the topic: Key to the energy transition? Hydrogen futures in the context of national climate protection goals.
All lectures and discussions will be broadcast live.
You can find the entire program here
IAS-STS Fellowship Programme
28 March 2024
Applications for the IAS-STS Fellowship Programme are still welcome until May 15, 2024.
For more information, please see.
Visit of the Vice Rector for Infrastructure and Sustainability, Michael Monsberger
22 January 2024
It was an honor and great pleasure to introduce our STS Unit to the VR for Infrastructure and Sustainability, Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Michael Monsberger, on January 16th.
We look forward to a good collaboration!
The STS Unit is growing
January 8, 2024
Wer are happy to welcome our new team memebers Anna Semenko, Julia Wenger and Lilia Yang.
Sustainability4U Lecture Series
18 December 2023
Under the motto "IT'S ENOUGH" Reduction as collective action", a lecture series will again take place in the winter semester 2023/24 under the auspices of the Styrian universities.
Günter Getzinger will give a lecture on 10th of January 2024, 6 pm at Alte Technik, Rechbauerstraße 12, 1.OG on the topic of "Walking" and the pedestrian strategy of the province of Styria.
Students and all interested persons are cordially invited to attend free of charge.
This event can also be joined via livestream:
https://tugraz.webex.com/tugraz/j.php?MTID=m2fc13d945d4bd4ceea4bf21009299ca9
Webinar number:
2732 116 4429
Webinar password:
X2qiqMuPc34 (92747687 from phones and video systems)
Join by phone
+43-720-815221 Austria Toll
+44-20-3478-5289 United Kingdom Toll
Access code: 273 211 64429
Proceedings of the STS Conference Graz 2023
15 December 2023
The Proceedings of the STS Conference Graz 2023 are now online.
Interview Günter Getzinger with Andritz AG
24 November 2023
In an interview with Andritz AG, Günter Getzinger talks about CO2 emissions and the path towards climate neutrality. Questions that were discussed in more detail in this interview: How does the path to climate neutrality begin for a company? What should you pay attention to when purchasing? What measures can be taken to reduce emissions and ultimately become climate neutral?
Call for Abstracts - STS Conference Graz 2024
27 November 2023
The call for abstracts is now open.
Up to January 22nd 2024 abstracts can be submitted online. Please select one of the following sessions and themes, which deal with "Critical Issues in Science, Technology and Society Studies".
We are looking forward to your submissions!
New genetic engineering – changing social acceptance?
13 November 2023
The controversial discussion about the commercial use of genetic engineering in agriculture that has been going on since the end of the 1980s has not yet calmed down. In many European countries, campaigns critical of GMOs led, among other things, to GMO-free regions and GMO-free labels. The political attitude that solidified in this structure was reserved to strongly negative in most countries, especially in Austria. With the CRISPR method, the so-called “new genetic engineering”, this deadlocked debate is now getting moving again - and of all things, the recent crisis experiences caused by the COVID pandemic and extreme weather conditions and their effects on the food supply are creating a new dynamic.
More information: Guest commentary by Dr. Armin Spök (APA report - Science, November 13, 2023).
International STS Workshop: Sociotechnical Change in Perspective
9 October 2023
From 18. to 19. September the STS-Unit hosted an „International STS Workshop: Sociotechnical Change in Perspective”. On this occasion the TU Graz team discussed current topics with researchers from PaSTIS of Padova University. Digitalisation was one of the prominent topics addressed during the workshop. Another debated issue was transition processes of energy systems. Finally, contributions to Covid-19 and mobility technologies completed the programme. The event is part of a longer cooperation with PaSTIS, which will be continued in form of research collaborations and academic exchange in teaching and research.
ZTG - Opening Event
September 25, 2023
Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz have jointly launched the inter-university research platform “Future – Technology – Society” (Z-T-G).
The platform seeks innovative and sustainable solutions to pressing future problems and combines the complementary strengths of the two universities.
In initially three research projects financed by the state of Styria, researchers are working with citizens and stakeholders from the region to develop future visions in the areas of mobility, hydrogen and carbon management. As part of the opening event on September 8th, State Councilor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Rector Harald Kainz (TU Graz) and Prof. Alfred Posch (University of Graz) explained the importance of the new research platform for Styria as a (knowledge) location. The researchers involved then presented their projects in detail.
Call for Session Proposals
September 20, 2023
We invite you to submit a session proposal for the upcoming STS Conference in Graz, held from May 6 - 8, 2024.
As a guideline to address contemporary challenges of the interplay between science, technology and society, we suggest a number of thematic fields.
AI designs sustainable electricity storage at TU Graz
September 4, 2023
In an international project, an AI-optimized prototype of an environmentally friendly electricity storage system is being developed on the basis of vanillin, which has been made usable for storing electricity.
Under the leadership of Ulrich Hirn and Stefan Spirk from the Institute for Biobased Products and Paper Technology at Graz University of Technology, work is now being done to design a vanillin power storage device that is as sustainable as possible in its entire composition and yet efficient.
A team led by Günter Getzinger, head of the Science, Technology and Society Unit at TU Graz, and the Spanish company Biobide are responsible for the techno-economic and ecological review.
Call for Papers - 10th Conference of the Austrian Society for Gender Research (ÖGGF)
28 June 2023
Humans - Machines - Environments
10th Conference of the Austrian Society for Gender Research (ÖGGF)
WED, September 18 - FRI, September 20, 2024, University of Graz & Graz University of Technology
Since the 1980s at the latest, feminist gender studies have asked to what extent the far-reaching Bio- and information technology developments of the past decades have resulted in transformations in the social division of labor and in the gender hierarchy(s). This is suggested by the dynamic entanglement of technological, social and spatial phenomena and the constitutive importance that gender has in this constellation.
In the meantime, we are encountering drastic, even more complex and contradictory socio-technical dynamics: the omnipresence of digitization and datafication, the further development of biotechnology and the accelerated technological change in industrial production and the world of services, energy generation and mobility require gender to be renegotiated and Exploring technologies in social, cultural and spatial gender contexts.
The ÖGGF conference opens up a forum for the widest possible spectrum of disciplines to deal with this topic as well as for genuinely interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches as well as artistic debates.
Controlled fantasies in the space of the future
20 June 2023
In the current issue of Business Month (June/July/August 2023), Christian Dayé talks about the methods and ideas we can use to approach the future. Visions of the future, for example regarding to urban development or mobility, are often not radical at all, but rather a continuation of already existing technological ideals.
University Course "Decarbonization and Sustainability Management"
25 May 2023
We congratulate the graduates of the university course "Decarbonization and Sustainability Management".
The course, organized by Life Long Learning (LLL) and held for the first time at Graz University of Technology under the scientific direction of Ass.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. phil. Günter Getzinger, enables graduates to lead their companies on the path to climate neutrality.
This year, the graduates come from 8 Styrian companies, some of which already work as sustainability managers or environmental managers.
The next course starts on September 11, 2023.
Further information: https://www.tugraz.at/.../dekarbonisierung...
STS Conference Graz 2023
15 May 2023
Thank´s to all participants of the STS Conference Graz 2023. It was once again a big pleasure hosting you together with IFZ Graz.
Lot´s of discussions, workshops and 2 great keynotes, which inspired us.
We are very much looking forward to the STS Conference Graz 2024, May 6-8.
Green Transformation Cards
11 April 2023
The Green Transformation Cards support companies quickly and effectively on their way to climate neutrality. and contain 10 categories with around 100 suggested measures for the green transformation of a company.
As authors, Angelika Tisch and Günter Getzinger played a key role in the design of the Green Transformation Cards in the R&D & ecodesign and strategy & reporting categories.
The categories are based on key business processes such as: Strategy & Reporting, Cultural Change, R&D & Ecodesign, Purchasing & Supply Chain, Production, Buildings & Infrastructure, Mobility, Marketing & Sales, Financing and Business Models. The measures are described in a way that is easy to understand and are suitable for manufacturing companies as well as for service companies in all sectors.
TU Graz on the way to climate neutrality
15 March 2023
A nice report in ORF Steiermark, in which Günter Getzinger as project manager, gives insights into the plans of TU Graz to become climate neutral by 2030.
© TU Graz/www.robertillemann.com
Lecture series: Diversity at the center of research
March 10, 2023
Scientists from all seven faculties of TU Graz provide insights into their current research in this public lecture series.
They show how they address diversity & gain added value for their research. The lectures are aimed at an interested public.
Students of all fields of study at Graz University of Technology can attend the lectures as part of the seminar of the same name: Seminar No. 706.079 (2 ECTS, free elective).
Closing lecture, lead of the seminar & the lecture series: Ao.Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in phil. Christine Wächter, STS - Science, Technology and Society Unit at the Institute for Interactive Systems and Data Science.
Time & place: Every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., seminar room BMT038, Stremayrgasse 16, ground floor.
After the respective lecture and the moderated discussion, there is an opportunity for informal exchange over drinks and snacks.
Registration for the lectures: ringvorlesung.diversitaet@tugraz.at
More information: QR code
https://www.tugraz.at/tu-graz/universitaet/leitziele-und-schwerpunkte/diversitaet/diversitaet#c52977
10 February 2023
The Early Bird Registration is now open until March 30.
Please register here for the STS Conference Graz, held from May 8-10, 2023.
Lecture: What kind of knowledge is future knowledge? Outlines of a university research into the future
26 Januray 2023
On January 25, 2023, Christian Dayé gave a lecture on the topic "What kind of knowledge is future knowledge? Contours of university futures research" in the auditorium of Graz University of Technology.
Christian Dayé dealt with the following questions, among others: What form of the future are we interested in? Why is the university the right place for future research? Finally, the lecture also outlined how futurology can be taught.
The lecture was part of the series of lectures "FUTURE - The contribution of universities to solving social crises. A series of lectures by the nine Styrian universities" (WS 2022/23).
More information on the lecture series: http://sustainability4u.uni-graz.at/cms/index.php?id=139
Christian Dayé in Portrait
27 December 2022
Christian Dayé explores what role the future plays for societies. For several years, he has been focusing on how technological advances impact on society. His book on this topic has now won an award. You can find out more about his work and his latest publication, which was honored by the Section History of Sociology&Social Thought of the American Sociological Association in TU Graz research 2022-2/#28, page 14-15.
Transformations. Socio-Philosophical Perspectives of Change
5 December 2022
The book "Transformations. Socio-philosophical perspectives of change" by Bernhard Wieser, Kirstin Mertlitsch and Arno Bammé deals with current transformation processes: Global events such as climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, economic and social change and changes in traditional gender relations raise questions as to how these change processes can be understood and constructively shaped. The complexity of this problem required an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach, as implemented in the proposed volume.
The authors use concrete examples to discuss central challenges of current transformation processes and, taken together, provide a basis for reflection with which the observed change can be countered.
We have moved
![[Translate to Englisch:] Neues, Modernes Bürogebäude](/fileadmin/user_upload/tugrazExternal/2e4e46a4-d5bd-4ce0-8c2c-ea331b7e7175/DH22.jpg)
28. October 2022
From now on you will find us at our new address: Data House, Sandgasse 36/III, 8010 Graz.
Lecture series 2022: "FUTURE - The contribution of universities to solving social crises
27 Septemer 2022
As part of the 2022 ring lecture of the nine Styrian universities (five universities, two teacher training colleges and two technical colleges), whose cooperation is based on the idea of a common university awareness, we invite you to a ring lecture in WS 2022/23 under the leadership of Sustainability4U, the sustainability platform of the four Grazers universities. Under the title "FUTURE - The contribution of universities to solving social crises", the speakers will consider from the perspective of various disciplines how they can contribute to a sustainable future. Afterwards there will be a discussion with the audience.
CANCELLED
On the 14 December 2022 our colleague Christian Dayé will give a lecture:
What kind of knowledge is future knowledge? Outlines of a university research into the future
Location: HS II (Rechbauerstraße 12, 1st basement), 6:00 p.m
New Appointment: January 25, 2023, Aula, Alte Technik, Rechbauerstraße 12, 6 p.m.
Call for Session Proposals
20 September 2022
We invite you to submit a session proposal for the upcoming STS Conference in Graz, held from May 8–10, 2023.
We suggest a number of thematic fields as a guideline to address contemporary challenges of the interplay between science, technology and society. Submit Session
Climate neutral Universities in Austria
22 July 2022
In the GAIA magazin (02/2022) Günter Getzinger and colleagues provided information about the efforts of the alliance universities to become climate neutral. More and more members of the Alliance for Sustainable Universities in Austria Roadmaps designed to ensure climate neutrality in the years between 2030 and by 2040 (at the latest). Intending to be a role model and pioneer, they are entering into a very ambitious, steep decarbonization process.
Energy Globe Award 2022
7 July 2022
The Energy Globe STYRIA AWARD honors outstanding Styrian lighthouse projects. 52 projects took part in the competition this year and impressed the expert jury with the variety of ideas and regional know-how.
In the categorie "Adaption" the award goes to TU Graz Project: Climata Neutral TU Graz 2030.
As first University in Austria, TU Graz decided to become climate-neutral by 2030 and has adopted an ambitious roadmap to do so.
he measures range from saving energy, increasing efficiency and in-house production of green energy to buildings, procurement and mobility. The basis for the documentation of progress is a comprehensive and precise greenhouse gas balance, which includes the entire university infrastructure and is updated annually.
We very much congratulate Günter Getzinger (Project Lead) and Franziska Häller, who are in charge in this ambitious project.
STS Unit Retreat
23 June 2022
After two years the STS Unit finally made an STS retreat. We enjoyed this time together with our enthusiastic young researchers in an awesam landscape.
Christian Dayé: Award Winner of the History of Sociology and Social Thought (HOSST) section of the American Sociological Association
27 June 2022
Christian Dayé´s Book Experts, Social Scientists, and Techniques of Prognosis in Cold War America (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020) has been named a 2022 Distinguished Scholarly Publication Award Co-Winner of the History of Sociology and Social Thought (HOSST) section of the American Sociological Association. We warmly congretulate!
Sustainability Award 2022 - 2nd Place
25 June 2022
In June 2022 the Project "Climate neutral TU Graz 2022, lead by Günter Getzinger and Franziska Häller won the Sustainability Award (2nd Place, Field of activity "Administration and Management").
More information regarding the Sustainabiliy Awards 2022
The ethical challenges of automated driving
3 June 2022
As part of the “In Focus” series, the “Ethical Challenges of Automated Driving” event, was held for the first time on March 11, 2019 at TU Graz.
5 experts, among them Günter Getzinger, discussed their opinion of view. The discussion focused on the interplay between technical aspects, economic use cases and the resulting impact on the functionality and use of autonomous vehicles. The aim of the event was to open up the discourse within TU Graz with regard to technology assessment.
This publication presents the results of this event to a broader public of automated driving.
STS Conference Graz 2022 - Thank you!
10 May 2022
Thanks to all participants and speakers, who made this year´s conference a special event. We look forward to seeing you again at the STS Conference Gaz 2023 in early May.
Graz Environmental Facts
May 6, 2022
This information platform offeres interested citizens graphically prepared information on key environmental issues. This platform was developed as part of a master´s thesis at TU Graz (D. Wolf), which was supervised by Günter Getzinger, Head of the STS Unit, together with the Graz Environment Agency.
Key figures from the areas of climate, energy, air, noise, waste, mobility and nature provide an overview of the environmental situation in Graz and are updated and expanded depending on the data available.
STS Conference Graz 2022
April 29, 2022
Thrilled about this year´s program and keynote speakers of the STS Conference Graz 2022: Andreas Bogner, Sabina Leonelli and Naomi Oreskes
Gas Crisis sets the Course for Climate Policy
24 March 2022
The war in Ukraine exposed the weaknesses in Austria's energy supply. Against the background of the crisis, experts as Günter Getzinger are calling for an immediate rethink to achieve the climate goals.
More information at orf.at (online: March 23)
CS Talk #8: Response-able‘ AI by utilizing Feminist STS by Corinna Bath
28 February 2022
We would like to draw your attention to the upcoming CS Talk #8 by one of our former IAS-STS fellows Corinna Bath, TU Braunschweig.
March 18th, 2022 | 11:00, Aula Alte Technik
Rechbauerstraße 12, 8010 Graz.
Due to current circumstances, there are a severely limited number of seats at the event. Please register in time here
Final Workshop CLIMATTERS of the DK Climate Change (DKCC) on February 3rd
27 January 2022
On February the 3rd, Michael Kriechbaum is co-organising a session on the next phase of the energy transition. The session is part of the Final Workshop CLIMATTERS of the DK Climate Change (DKCC) and deals with the challenges of integrating renewable electricity and the prospects of hydrogen. Keynotes by research engineer Marta Victoria and transition researcher Nuno Bento as well as short presentations by the organizers will set the stage for an open discussion. Interested person are very much welcome!
Join the session: February 3rd, 15:00-17:00
https://bit.ly/3IvMYE8
Dynamics of cumulative advantage and threats to equity in open science: a scoping review
20 January 2022
Two members of the STS Unit, Tony Ross-Hellauer and Stefan Reichmann, both from the project ON-MERRIT which investigates potential Matthew effects in the transition towards Open science and Responsible Research and Innovation in academia, industry, and policymaking, have published a paper in Royal Society Open Science entitled “Dynamics of cumulative advantage and threats to equity in open science: a scoping review” (Ross-Hellauer et al. 2022).
In it, the authors make the case that the transition to Open Science presently favours wealthy actors and institutions as it is predicated upon commanding the respective resources, such as knowledge, skills, and the capacity to practice Open Science.
Mind_the Gap Diversity Award 2021
17 January 2022
Congratulations to Anna Napetschnig for the Mind_the Gap Diversity Award 2021 for her Master thesis “Frauen@TUG – Do IT! Successful approaches to improve the qualitative and quantitative situation of female students of computer science at Graz University of Technology”.
Anna Napetschnig currently works on her Master Thesis in Advanced Material Sciences at TU Graz.
Christine Wächter from the STS Unit was supervisor of her Master thesis in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies.
In her Master thesis “Frauen@TUG – Do IT” Anna Napetschnig has developed a catalog of measures for the qualitative and quantitative improvement of the situation of female computer science students at the TU Graz. The first part of the thesis is an inventory of projects for the promotion of young female computer science students at Graz University of Technology and at comparable universities. The second part consists of qualitative and quantitative surveys of female TU Graz students on these measures. This results in a catalog of measures with individual recommendations for the TU Graz, which have the potential to increase the proportion of female computer science students and to reduce the drop out.
You can watch her presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9zaHfpPAbU
Exibition: Climate Crisis and Consciousness Change
December 13, 2021
In addition to the lecture series "CLIMATE CRISIS AND CONSCIOUSNESS CHANGE",
a poster exhibition of the same name was developed. Design and Content Development by David Steinwender.Employees and students of the Technical University of Graz are invited to join the exibition.
17.12.2021 - 28.1.2022: Alte Technik, Rechbauerstraße 12, Tiefparterre, Foyer Hörsaal
28.01.2022 - 11.3.2022: Physikgebäude, Petersgasse 16, Erdgeschoß, Foyer Hörsaal P2
11.03.2022 - 22.4.2022: Foyer Inffeldgasse 25 D, Erdgeschoß.
Virtual Workshop on Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reduction Measures of Universities and Colleges
22 November 2021
On November 8, 2021 the last workshop of the project "ClimCalc 2.0" was held with 40 participants from 24 different universities and universities of applied sciences (5 of them from Germany). Also 3 private institutions were interested in the process of greenhouse gas balancing and how the tool "ClimCalc" works.
After a short introduction for newcomers, the greenhouse gas balances of the Danube University Krems and University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna were presented and discussed. The progress reports of the participants indicate that some more greenhouse gas balances will be published in the upcoming months.
The workshop gave us the opportunity to explain the so-called "road-mapping": using the example of the Graz University of Technology and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. It was presented how and through which measures a university can become climate neutral by 2030.
At the end, there was another opportunity to share experiences and ask questions in small groups. Thanks to all participants for the lively exchange.
Klimabewusstsein und Hypes: Erneuerbare Energien im öffentlichen Diskurs
18 November 2021
As part of the lecture series "Climate Crisis and Change in Awareness" we cordially invite you to the lecture by Michael Kriechbaum (TU Graz/ University of Graz) "Climate Awareness and Hypes: Renewable Energies in Public Discourse".
Based on empirical research, Mr. Kriechbaum will explain the role of expectations in the development and proliferation of new technologies, as well as that of technological hype cycles and the associated dynamics of collective expectations.
15 December 2021, 6 p.m
Scientific impact
3 November 2021
Christian Dayé’s 2018 article on the history of the Delphi technique as a tool of prognosis (https://doi.org/10.1177/0306312718798497) ranks among the ten most cited publications published over the last three years in Social Studies of Science, one of the most prestigious journals in STS.