Headline: Science centers as key partners in transdisciplinary research for sustainability

In the Anthropocene era, science and technology can no longer be treated apart from human values and actions. Consequently, the paradigm of science now increasingly includes transdisciplinary research as essential for addressing the complex challenges of global change and sustainability. This substantially increases meaningful engagement of stakeholders in science and mutual learning between stakeholders and researchers. Science centers have the capacity to become effective boundary institutions in going beyond communicating science to building mutually-valued connections between scientists and the many facets of the public.

The IASS therefore takes part in the annual conference of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) from October 19 to 20, 2013. ASTC is an international organization of 650 science centers, including museums for technology and natural history and other institutions. Prof. Ilan Chabay from the IASS is chairing a session about how science centers can become key venues and resources for facilitating engagement between research and stakeholder communities. The IASS also presents several public short films on sustainability science and an interactive CO₂ game.

Together with the members of ASTC, the IASS wants to explore collectively how that boundary-spanning role of science centers and transdisciplinary research institutions such as the IASS can be expanded and strengthened by engaging stakeholder communities throughout the research process.

Please find more information on ASTC here.

To watch the IASS public short films and to find information on our interactive CO₂ game click here.