Message posted on 12/01/2018

Reminder: CFP - two sessions related to life sciences and biotechnology topics - deadline for abstracts 19 Jan

                Dear colleagues
<br>
<br>We are organising two sessions related to life sciences and biotechnology in
<br>the context of the 17th Annual STS Conference Graz 2018. Critical Issues in
<br>Science, Technology and Society Studies.
<br>The conference will take place in Graz, Austria on 7-8 May 2018 and we are
<br>inviting you to submit abstracts for oral or poster presentations.
<br>
<br>Deadline for submitting abstracts:  19 January 2018
<br>
<br>More information: https://conference.aau.at/event/137/
<br>
<br>
<br>S18: Fostering agricultural biotechnology in line with RRI principles
<br>Organisers: Armin SPK (Graz University of Technology) & Monica RACOVITA
<br>(Alpen-Adria Universitaet Klagenfurt |Wien Graz), Austria
<br>
<br>Despite the efforts of the European Union to harness the full economic
<br>potential of biotechnology, the development of a bioeconomy strategy has - so
<br>far - not led to significant progress in agricultural biotechnology. Recent
<br>developments in synthetic biology and genome editing have triggered new hopes
<br>in certain stakeholder groups that the long-standing promises could be finally
<br>fulfilled. Yet the directions to be taken for innovation, commercial
<br>application and risk regulation appear to deeply divide stakeholders. These
<br>challenges seem to acquire another dimension with the European Union decision
<br>to pursuit the strategy of responsible research and innovation. Against this
<br>backdrop the main question for this panel is if and how RRI could help to
<br>proceed with agricultural biotech applications. Contributions on both concepts
<br>and examples of implementing RRI in agricultural biotech research and
<br>innovation practice are particularly invited
<br>
<br>S22: Need for responsible biohacking?
<br>Organisers: Armin SPK (Graz University of Technology) & Monica RACOVITA
<br>(Alpen-Adria Universitt Klagenfurt Klagenfurt |Wien Graz), Austria
<br>
<br>DIY biology - sometimes dubbed as biohacking - has evolved as citizen science
<br>initiatives in many countries over the recent years. These groups encompass a
<br>wide spectrum - from garage labs with self-made laboratory appliances to
<br>semi-professional community laboratories.
<br>
<br>According to their self-portraits, these initiatives are mainly non-profit,
<br>open-access and open-source oriented. Moreover, at least in the EU they still
<br>have to operate under national regulatory oversight and EU law. Recently
<br>concerns have been raised that the novel methods  of genome editing would
<br>greatly enhance what could be done in DIY biology labs - implying potential
<br>biosafety and biosecurity issues while operating under the radar of regulatory
<br>oversight. The panel aims to portrait this community (actors, aims,
<br>activities, diversity of groups) by drawing on inputs from STS researchers and
<br>from members of the biohacking community. The main question to investigate is
<br>if genome editing did or could possibly enhance their activities and if so -
<br>if there is a need of mandatory of voluntary standards for the DIY biology
<br>community. A visit to a biohacker's lab in Graz will be organised.
<br>
<br>Looking forward to your contributions
<br>
<br>Kind Regards
<br>
<br>Armin Spk & Moncia Racovita
<br>
<br>
<br>--
<br>Dr. Armin Spoek
<br>Senior Scientist
<br>
<br>TU Graz  - Graz University of Technology
<br>Science, Technology and Society Unit
<br>Institute for Interactive Systems and Data Science
<br>.............................................................................
<br>.................
<br>
<br>Alpen-Adria-Universitaet Klagenfurt/Vienna/Graz (AAU)
<br>Institute of Science, Technology and Society Studies
<br>https://www.aau.at/technik-und-wissenschaftsforschung/
<br>.............................................................................
<br>.................
<br>
<br>IFZ-Inter-University Research Centre for Technology,
<br>Work and Culture
<br>http://www.ifz.at/eng
<br>
<br>
<br>Schloegelgasse 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
<br>phone: +43 (0)664 88796988
<br>e-mail TU Graz: armin.spoek@tugraz.at.
<br>e-mail AAU: armin.spoek@aau.at
<br>Skype: a.spoek
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