The EPSRC's policy of responsible innovation from a trading zones perspective

Responsible innovation (RI) is gathering momentum as an academic and policy debate linking science and society. Advocates of RI in research policy argue that scientific research should be opened up at an early stage so that many actors and issues can steer innovation trajectories. If this is done, they suggest, new technologies will be more responsible in different ways, better aligned with what society wants, and mistakes of the past will be avoided. This paper analyses the dynamics of RI in policy and practice and makes recommendations for future development. More specifically, we draw on the theory of ‘trading zones’ developed by Peter Galison and use it to analyse two related processes: (i) the development and inclusion of RI in research policy at the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); (ii) the implementation of RI in relation to the Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (SPICE) project. Our analysis reveals an RI trading zone comprised of three quasi-autonomous traditions of the research domain – applied science, social science and research policy. It also shows how language and expertise are linking and coordinating these traditions in ways shaped by local conditions and the wider context of research. Building on such insights, we argue that a sensible goal for RI policy and practice at this stage is better local coordination of those involved and we suggest ways how this might be achieved

Carnivore: Will It Devour Your Privacy?

Perhaps you have written an e-mail that looks something like this

Aristotle\u27s ΚΙΝΗΣΙΣ-ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑ Distinction and the Ends of Human Action

A key passage in the development of Aristotle’s argument in book Θ of the Metaphysics is the distinction between the concepts of κίνησις and ἐνέργεια (1048b18-35). The distinction is made initially on the basis of particular grammatical features of verbs denoting human actions/states: some verbs in the present tense necessarily imply the contemporaneous achievement of the same verb in the Greek perfect tense (e.g. If x is seeing y, then it is the case that, at the same time, x is in a state of having seen y), whereas other verbs in the present tense are necessarily followed by (i.e. do not occur simultaneously with) the same verb in the Greek perfect tense (e.g. If x is building y, then it is not the case that, at the same time, x is in the state of having built y). Aristotle concludes that the former type of verbs (ἐνέργεια-actions) are actions which contain their proximate (i.e. most immediate) end, whereas the latter type (κίνησις-actions) are actions whose proximate ends are separate, the attainment of which yields the termination of the action. The argument in the passage, therefore, circulates around the place of proximate ends within action. This paper applies the key features of the κίνησις-ἐνέργεια distinction to Aristotle’s discussion of the δύναμις-ἐνέργεια analogy (1048a35-b9), and argues that, if Aristotle’s κίνησις-ἐνέργεια distinction is to be taken seriously, the analogy must be thought of primarily in terms of teleology. This result is finally applied to the problem of unattainable ultimate (i.e. remote) ends, or ends which human actions strive for but never reach. The problem (unsurprisingly) finds its solution in Aristotle’s natural theology presented in book Λ

The Rocketdyne Multifunction Tester. Part 1: Test Method

The Rocketdyne Multifunction Tester is a general purpose test apparatus which utilizes axial and radial magnetic bearings as shaft excitation devices. The tester is modular in design so that different seal and bearing packages can be tested on the same test stand. The tester will be used for rotordynamic coefficient extraction, as well as life and fluid/material compatibility evaluations. Use of a magnetic bearing as a shaft excitation device opens up many possibilities for shaft excitation and rotordynamic coefficient extraction. In addition to describing the basic apparatus, some of the excitation and extraction methods are described. Some of the excitation methods to be discussed include random, aperiodic, harmonic, impulse and chirp

Effects of Sulfidation on the Deposition and Detachment of Silver Nanoparticles

The transformation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) due to environmental factors can play a role in their fate and transport in aquatic systems. Sulfidation has the potential to alter these particles’ physio-chemical properties and their subsequent mobilization in aquatic environments. The water chemistry (e.g. pH, dissolved organic carbon) of these systems can also change the behavior of AgNPs. To better understand the effects of sulfidation on the characteristics and deposition of AgNPs, techniques such as quartz crystal microgravimetry (QCM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used. In this study, AgNPs with two different ligand types, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-capped AgNPs (PVP-AgNPs) and Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-capped AgNPs (PEG-AgNPs), were modified through sulfidation in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). Sulfidation of PVP-AgNPs resulted in a 5 to 23 times greater extent of deposition to a silica substrate than unmodified PVP-AgNPs in tested conditions. This probably caused by the loss of steric repulsion due to the loss of PVP ligand during sulfidation. The dependence of ligand type on the effects of sulfidation were observed in the same conditions with sulfidized PEG-AgNPs having a 28%-98% decrease in deposition extent compared to pristine PEG-AgNPs. This decrease in particle-substrate interaction is attributed to the increase in electrostatic repulsion. Rates of deposition of each particle type were also reported to better understand the potential of these AgNPs to persist in engineered and natural aquatic environments. Hydrophobicity of AgNP types were not found to play a dominant role in the deposition dynamics. AgNP deposition extent to silica substrate provides insight on the potential for persistence in aquatic environments as well as a predisposition towards removal through media filtration. Based on deposition results, after sulfidation, PEG-AgNPs are more likely to persist than that of PVP-AgNPs