1. Welcome
Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society
27 November 2013
Prof. dr. Ciano Aydin

2. PROGRAMME
 PSTS presentation by Ciano Aydin
 Student presentation by Wessel Reijers
 Questions
 Information market and drink

3. MOVIE PSTS
Movie
Philosophy of Science, Technology and Socie

4. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIETY
International programme
All courses are taught in English
120 EC, no pre-master programme
Good opportunities to study abroad
Training in reflection / academic skills
Empirical orientation: analyzing specific technologies and
technological practices and discourses
 Excellent research
 Opportunity to do internship







5. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIETY
 Philosophical and multidisciplinary reflection on science and
technology
 Analyzing and assessing the impact of
science and technology on society
 How are ict’s affecting our privacy?
 How are prosthetics changing our human identity?
 How can we assess the acceptability of risks and uncertainties:
waste water processing, nuclear energy?
 Can we use robots as companions
for elderly people?

6. ADMISSION
 a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in
 (Applied) Natural Science,
 Engineering Science,
 Social Science,
 Philosophy
 Any other discipline, with an emphasis on (social) science
or technology and a focus on the application of technology
in a particular professional area or on technical
interventions in social systems

7. ADMISSION
 Good knowledge of English
 English writing assessment for international and Dutch HBO
students
 Online application (form website)

8. First Year

9. Programme lay out first year
 Students with different backgrounds (in Science, Engineering, Social
Sciences and Philosophy) are introduced to the typical PSTS
approach. They take the courses Philosophy of Technology,
Philosophical theories and methods, and Science and Technology
Studies
 In the TechnoLab project (which runs through block 2 and 3) students
become acquainted with technological approaches and frameworks
used in Engineering Sciences and Social Sciences (UT) disciplines
and institutes.
 The other courses deal with more detailed investigation of topics
related to PSTS and prepares students for the research-oriented
courses in the second year.

10. 2d year PSTS New Style
First Term
Students take the three
obligatory courses of
their profile (15 EC’s)
and choose 2 elective
courses (10 EC’s).
Masterlab 1 (5 EC’s) is
followed parallel to the
module and elective
courses: skills training,
orientation within profile,
thesis proposal.
Second Term
MasterLab 2 is part of
working on master
thesis: discussing drafts
with other students.

11. Programme lay out second year
 In the second year students choose a specialisation profile.
Dependent on their profile students have to follow a cluster of
obligatory courses and can fill up the rest with elective courses,
compiling this way a tailor-made profile
 Students specialize themselves within a profile under guidance of a
profile coordinator and participate in activities of the relevant research
group(s), such as research meetings and colloquia
 Depending on an orientation towards an academic career or
professional career, the student can choose an internship or a
research project
 Students prepare their thesis proposal and write their thesis.

12. TWENTE GRADUATE SCHOOL
FOR DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
 Outstanding research environment ‘high tech - human touch’
 High quality structured supervision and personal development
 Integrated Master’s and PhD programmes: make a head start
 Tailor-made education in the PhD phase:
 Advanced courses in the field of expertise
 Academic and career development skills
 For more information see: www.utwente.nl/tgs
 TGS programmes related to Philosophy of Science, Technology and
Society:
 Ethics and Technology (3TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology)
 Human-centred Interaction Technologies (CTIT)
 Governance of Knowledge and Innovation (IGS)
12

13. Ethics and Technology Graduate School variant, Second Year

14. PSTS theses
Lise Bitsch: Genetic susceptibility screening in Denmark
•About the use of genetic screening technology in Denmark
Setargew Kenaw Fantaw: Cultural Translation of Technological
Modernization: Postphemenology and Technological Mediation of
Culture
•About changes in culture by the usage of mobile phones in African societies
Antonia Linzbach: Political discourse on biogas and its reflection in
regulatory Institutionalization
•About the success of a specific kind of green technology
Lars van Assen: Neuroscience and free will
About anthropological presuppositions in the free will and neuroscience
debate.

15. STUDY ABROAD
 Philosophy of Technology:
 Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm
 University of North Texas
 Stony Brook University New York
 Science, Technology and Society:
 PRIME network: Aalborg, Lisbon, Manchester, Madrid,
Paris or Atlanta.

16. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIETY

17. WHY STUDY PSTS?
 Broadening your academic skills
 Linking pin between engineering, social and business
sciences
 Active contribution to society
 A new outlook on existing discusions regarding current
affairs

18. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIETY
Job perspectives:
 Policy making / Government: Cogem (Commissie
genetische modificatie), Rathenau Institute.
 Academic world: PhD project
 Consultancy: Tauw (sustainability), Technopolis
 Industry / Business: food, textile, oil, chemicals, machinery,
automotive, ICT, communication / journalism, etc.
 Research & Development:
ECN (Energy research Centre of the Netherlands), TNO.

19. Ruth Mamphuys
 Researcher Environmental risks of
genetic modification
 Medical Biochemistry & PSTS
 the Netherlands Commission on
Genetic Modification (COGEM).
 Examines test applications, informs
applicants, talks to experts, and
advises the Ministry of VROM.

20. Hanneke Bodewes
 Innovation and Scientific Policy Consultant
 Industrial Engineering and Management &
PSTS
 Technopolis
 Advice on innovation and scientific policy for
the European Commission
 Now works at SenterNovem on innovation
policy

21. FURTHER INFORMATION
 Mr. Jan Nelissen (study counsellor)
Tel: +31 53 489 3588
E-mail: j.m.j.nelissen@utwente.nl

22. STUDENT PRESENTATION PSTS
Ceciel Kempers

23. Who am I?
 Ceciel Kempers
 Student
 Engineer/researcher
 Into arts and culture
 Aspriring philosopher

24. My Background
 BASc Biomedical Research
 Focus on research and engineering:
 Biology
 Chemistry
 Little math and physics
 Learn how to work at the lab bench
 Didn’t want a career in the laboratory
 Looking for a master that takes the broader perspective: relating
science and technology to society

25. Now: PSTS
 What is my experience?
 Studying harder than ever before, but learned so much (even at the
fundamental level)!
 Great professors
 Makes you develop a highly critical attitude towards EVERYTHING
 Great international community

26. Course example
 Society, Politics and Technology
 Learning basic concepts used in political philosophy
 Analyzing technologies in terms of political and social aspects:
 Do artifacts possess political abilities?
 Do they affect the way we think about justice, freedom, equality,
community and/or democracy?
 Highly interactive course: lively discussions

27. Facebook PSTS:
www.facebook.com/psts.twente
Do you have
questions after
this meeting?
Go to the
facebook page
and ask your
question at the
forum!

28. Second round
or
Information market