Talk: Nona Schulte-Römer

In the week of October 23, the Innovation, Society & Public Policy (ISPP) group is hosting Nona Schulte-Römer. Nona is a postdoc at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, where her new research focus is on the politics of Sustainable Chemistry.
Previously, she worked in the research group “Cultural Sources of Newness” at the Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB).
In her doctoral thesis “Innovation in public. The introduction of LED lighting in Berlin and Lyon” (sociology, TU Berlin), she analyzed a disruptive innovation process in the making from the users’ perspective and through the lens of MCTS. Before she engaged in sociology, Nona studied theatre science, cultural and political science at the HU Berlin.

Lunch talk: Innovation observed – thinking beyond the roles of innovators, users and publics

Room 370, Wed., 25.10., 12.30 – 14.00.
Whether we are aware of it or not, we are currently witnessing a momentous technological transition in our cities. With light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a new chapter in the history of artificial lighting has been opened. In my presentation the ongoing ‘LED revolution’ will offer the empirical basis for rethinking the roles of innovators, users and publics from a pragmatic perspective.
Practices of observation are pivotal in all stages of innovation processes. Scientists do it when they gather their data. Technology developers observe how inventions perform in use. Investors observe how innovative products or ideas are taken up by markets.
Potential users observe early adopters. Specialized and mass media publicize their observations in innovation reports. Last but not least, there are social scientists that engage in participant observation to analyze and better understand innovation patterns and practices.
The innovation literature is full of examples and concepts that imply observation. Nevertheless, observation practices have so far received fairly little systematic attention. This is where my presentation and book project starts with an analysis of urban LED lighting and its un/skilled, dis/interested, dis/engaged observers.