Postponed | Gender and diversity responsive research and innovation - hype or imperative for sustainable technologies in the energy sector?

Dear participants,

We have to postpone the event. As soon as the new date is fixed, we will inform you.

Thank you for your understanding

Abstract

Actual crisis like for example the COVID pandemic reveal structural problems we are facing that have been existing for a long time, as for example processes in technology development and production as well as innovation processes which are not sustainable. On the other hand these crisis also create new opportunities for redefining and rethinking existing strategies.

Research in Gender and Science and Technology Studies have revealed the manifold interrelations and interdependencies between technology development, innovation processes and society as well as the consequences if they are not taken into account. And they have demonstrated the great potential including such perspectives in research and innovation processes for responsible research and innovation. The talk will discuss the potential of integrating gender and diversity perspectives into research and innovation processes, in terms of excellence, creativity and business opportunities. Questioning gender norms and stereotypes standards and reference models have to be rethought. In doing so it can lead to better address the diverse needs of users, foster diversity in the energy sector and in doing so enhance the societal relevance of the knowledge, technologies and innovations produced in this field.

About the Lecturer

Prof. Dr. Carmen Leicht-Scholten, political scientist by training, is head of the institute "Gender and Diversity in Engineering" (GDI) at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at RWTH Aachen University and director of the HUB for responsible research and Innovation (RRI HUB) (DFG) of the university. She is also member of the advisory board of HUMTEC.
Together with her interdisciplinary team of engineers, natural scientists and social scientists, she is working on the inclusion of diversity in research and development processes and at different levels of organization development.

Her fields of research focuses on realizing sustainable and socially responsible research by integrating gender and diversity perspectives in science and technology research and innovation processes. As expert for gender and diversity studies Prof. Leicht-Scholten has been member in national and international advisory boards.
In 2014, Prof. Leicht-Scholten has been invited to Stanford University as a visiting professor. The development of the transnational course "Expanding Engineering Limits: Culture, Diversity and Gender" together with colleagues from the School of Engineering at Stanford University has been iniciated at that time.