Human Oöcytes for Stem Cell Research: donation and regulation in Australia. This study will contribute to the development of workable, ethical guidelines and practices for Australian research oöcyte donation. It will contribute to the protection of women's health and autonomy and the design of sound donation practices and support services. It will contribute to the national and international debate about the ethics of stem cell research, and improve the knowledge base available to regulators and ....Human Oöcytes for Stem Cell Research: donation and regulation in Australia. This study will contribute to the development of workable, ethical guidelines and practices for Australian research oöcyte donation. It will contribute to the protection of women's health and autonomy and the design of sound donation practices and support services. It will contribute to the national and international debate about the ethics of stem cell research, and improve the knowledge base available to regulators and other stakeholders to frame adequate and comprehensive regulation.Read moreRead less
Biotechnology Across the Borders of Life: Stem Cell Technology and Global Medical Exchange. This project interrogates the debates and policy surrounding embryonic stem cell technology and two intimately connected medical technologies - reproductive technologies, in which it is founded, and organ transplantation, which it seeks to overcome. Each of these technologies repeatedly confronts and tests social, cultural, ethical and legal precedents, fuelling world-wide political and media debate. The ....Biotechnology Across the Borders of Life: Stem Cell Technology and Global Medical Exchange. This project interrogates the debates and policy surrounding embryonic stem cell technology and two intimately connected medical technologies - reproductive technologies, in which it is founded, and organ transplantation, which it seeks to overcome. Each of these technologies repeatedly confronts and tests social, cultural, ethical and legal precedents, fuelling world-wide political and media debate. The project addresses the social effects - locally and globally - of these technologies. Analyses of altruism, giving and commodification underpin the study, and are used to elucidate the social ramifications of the practices and expert discourses of these biotechnologies in four nation-states: Australia, Singapore, UK and USA.Read moreRead less
Science and Citizenship: Democracy in the age of science-mediated risk. This community-based project in the Goulburn Valley focuses on citizens' negotiation of scientific expertise, perceptions of risk and participation in policy formation. It asks: 'how can democracy work in a world of proliferating cultures of expertise?' The project will produce an environmental history drawn from citizens' experience of transforming the landscape for irrigation and agribusiness, and of scientific advice ov ....Science and Citizenship: Democracy in the age of science-mediated risk. This community-based project in the Goulburn Valley focuses on citizens' negotiation of scientific expertise, perceptions of risk and participation in policy formation. It asks: 'how can democracy work in a world of proliferating cultures of expertise?' The project will produce an environmental history drawn from citizens' experience of transforming the landscape for irrigation and agribusiness, and of scientific advice over time. It will explore how citizens deal with conflicting scientist-generated scenarios around climate change and environmental flows in the light of their historical experience, and trial new modes of public policy formation.Read moreRead less
Public and Proprietary Knowledge in Biotechnology: An Historical and Sociological Analysis of First Generation Recombinant DNA Pharmaceuticals Development. The 'biotechnology revolution' of the 1980s was a formative period that set the present pattern of links between university life science and commerce. A clearer analysis of the shifting boundary between public and proprietary scientific knowledge in this key recent episode will thus provide valuable insight into the social role of university- ....Public and Proprietary Knowledge in Biotechnology: An Historical and Sociological Analysis of First Generation Recombinant DNA Pharmaceuticals Development. The 'biotechnology revolution' of the 1980s was a formative period that set the present pattern of links between university life science and commerce. A clearer analysis of the shifting boundary between public and proprietary scientific knowledge in this key recent episode will thus provide valuable insight into the social role of university-based science today. In addition to matters of science policy and sociology, this more accurate account of the scientific initiatives, commercial strategies, and relationships with universities among the first biotechnology firms may also contribute to business scholarship aiming to foster success in the life science sector.Read moreRead less
The Impact of the Mobile Phone on Work/Life Balance. The telecommuncations industry exemplifies the frontier technologies that are at the heart of Australia's successful knowledge economy. Mobile phones are developing innovative capacities far ahead of consumer needs and requirments. For example, third generation technologies are currently seeking to find the 'killer application' that will provide them with a mass market. A profound understanding of the social dimensions of existing mobile telec ....The Impact of the Mobile Phone on Work/Life Balance. The telecommuncations industry exemplifies the frontier technologies that are at the heart of Australia's successful knowledge economy. Mobile phones are developing innovative capacities far ahead of consumer needs and requirments. For example, third generation technologies are currently seeking to find the 'killer application' that will provide them with a mass market. A profound understanding of the social dimensions of existing mobile telecommunications will provide insights for the development of new technologies and new services. It will provide the industry with a competitive advantage in a fast developing sector.Read moreRead less
Creative culture: The development of innovative research practices in science, technology and art. The proposed research will contribute to our understanding of the factors and conditions conducive to scientific, technological and artistic innovations. Australian governments and industries devote hundreds of millions of dollars annually to support scientific research and artistic projects. An understanding of how creativity can be fostered and maintained is therefore important for the appropria ....Creative culture: The development of innovative research practices in science, technology and art. The proposed research will contribute to our understanding of the factors and conditions conducive to scientific, technological and artistic innovations. Australian governments and industries devote hundreds of millions of dollars annually to support scientific research and artistic projects. An understanding of how creativity can be fostered and maintained is therefore important for the appropriate use of such resources. The project will contribute directly to the goal of "promoting an innovation culture and economy" under the National Research Priority framework, as it focuses on the organisational processes and socialisation techniques that favour a culture of creativity among researchers in science, technology and art.Read moreRead less
Just truth? An empirical study of expert evidence. Though a ubiquitous feature of contemporary legal and regulatory practice, expert evidence continues to create administrative and socio-economic problems. Expert evidence can add to the length, cost and complexity of litigation and has been linked to the failure of tort law, the withdrawal of insurance coverage, legal mistakes and notorious miscarriages of justice. This project will examine how expert knowledge is developed and used in and aroun ....Just truth? An empirical study of expert evidence. Though a ubiquitous feature of contemporary legal and regulatory practice, expert evidence continues to create administrative and socio-economic problems. Expert evidence can add to the length, cost and complexity of litigation and has been linked to the failure of tort law, the withdrawal of insurance coverage, legal mistakes and notorious miscarriages of justice. This project will examine how expert knowledge is developed and used in and around legal settings. It will identify means of improving the provision and evaluation of expert advice in order to enhance the social legitimacy of our legal institutions and facilitate commercial innovation and productivity.Read moreRead less
The social and environmental implications of privately regulated food quality standards for agri-food networks in Asia-Pacific. This proposal will contribute to an environmentally sustainable Australia in two ways. First, the research will highlight barriers to the uptake of environmental standards among fruit and vegetable growers as well as potential strategies to encourage certification. Second, the research will assess the extent to which compliance with internationally harmonised standards ....The social and environmental implications of privately regulated food quality standards for agri-food networks in Asia-Pacific. This proposal will contribute to an environmentally sustainable Australia in two ways. First, the research will highlight barriers to the uptake of environmental standards among fruit and vegetable growers as well as potential strategies to encourage certification. Second, the research will assess the extent to which compliance with internationally harmonised standards actually assists or encourages farmers to address local priority environmental issues. Improved understanding of the social and environmental impact of standards will highlight domestic policy and regulatory shifts which may be necessary to maximise positive environmental outcomes.Read moreRead less
Impact of evaluation-based funding on the content of scientific research. Evidence suggests that evaluation-based funding mechanisms trigger adaptive behaviour in scientists, leading to unintended changes in knowledge production. However, there is no conclusive evidence about when (under what circumstances), how (by what processes) and with what effects researchers adapt to these mechanisms. This study aims to answer these crucial questions. To overcome the methodological weaknesses of earlier s ....Impact of evaluation-based funding on the content of scientific research. Evidence suggests that evaluation-based funding mechanisms trigger adaptive behaviour in scientists, leading to unintended changes in knowledge production. However, there is no conclusive evidence about when (under what circumstances), how (by what processes) and with what effects researchers adapt to these mechanisms. This study aims to answer these crucial questions. To overcome the methodological weaknesses of earlier studies, a comparative investigation of several research fields and universities will be conducted, combining for the first time: qualitative interviews, ethnographic observations and bibliometric studies. It will enhance Australian research policy with a critical assessment of existing research funding models.Read moreRead less
Chaos, Information Technology, Global Administration and Daily Life. The project draws attention to unforseen effects arising from IT, and suggests ways of incorporating these effects into the system, rather than ignoring them or applying more of the same disordering order. Disorder cannot always be cured by better or stricter management, as disorder is intertwined together with modes of ordering and their interaction with natural or social orders.
The project gives a framework to help org ....Chaos, Information Technology, Global Administration and Daily Life. The project draws attention to unforseen effects arising from IT, and suggests ways of incorporating these effects into the system, rather than ignoring them or applying more of the same disordering order. Disorder cannot always be cured by better or stricter management, as disorder is intertwined together with modes of ordering and their interaction with natural or social orders.
The project gives a framework to help organisations implement IT systems to allow people to participate productively in government, administration or the workplace without resenting computer systems or feeling ignored or sidetracked. Changing the ways we look at order and chaos will help Australian leaders deal with a chaotically appearing world situation.Read moreRead less