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ABSTRACT
Despite repeated calls for novel forms of innovation and governance, including responsible innovation, anticipatory governance, and sustainability-oriented governance, nanotechnology continues to be mainly innovated following conventional schemes – with persistent shortcomings and negative impacts. Shifting these schemes towards sustainable and responsible innovation and fully utilising the benefits of sustainable nanotechnologies will necessitate difficult changes across all stages of and actors in the innovation process. We outline an agenda for intervention research in support of such changes. The article synthesises insights from four years of research on nanotechnology innovation, anticipatory governance, and sustainability in urban environments, with a focus on Phoenix, Arizona.
Acknowledgements
An earlier iteration of this work was presented and received useful comments at the Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization Conference 2013 in Santa Barbara, CA, November 3–5, 2013.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Arnim Wiek is an associate professor in the School of Sustainability and a team leader at the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University. His lab develops evidence-supported solutions to sustainability challenges in collaboration with government, businesses, and community groups. He held positions at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, the University of Tokyo, and Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany.
Rider W. Foley is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering and Society at the University of Virginia, USA, and a team leader at the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University. His research and teaching focuses on socio-technical innovation processes and solutions to complex sustainability problems.
Dave H. Guston is a professor of political science and co-director of the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University. He is the Director of the Center for Nanotechnology in Society, funded by the National Science Foundation, studying the societal implications of nanoscale science and engineering and improving the societal processes and outcomes of nanotechnology governance. He held visiting positions at Columbia University, the Copenhagen Business School and the Kent School of Law.
Michael J. Bernstein is a Doctoral Candidate in the School of Sustainability and a research associate at the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University. He researches interventions in science and technology policy and practice for sustainability.