Trading zones, interactional expertise and interdisciplinary collaboration Michael E. Gorman, University of Virginia Project Summary Intellectual merit Recent NSF initiatives like nanotechnology and convergent technologies emphasize collaboration across not only scientific and engineering disciplines, but also social sciences and humanities (Roco & Bainbridge, 2001, 2002). Science-technology studies (STS) is evolving new theoretical frameworks based on trading zones, shared expertise and moral imagination that show promise for understanding and facilitating these collaborations (Gorman, 2002, 2003a, 2003b).
This proposal has three goals: a) Developing a framework for analyzing and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration in science and technology, based upon linking the concepts of trading zones and interactional expertise; b) Adding an ethics/values component via the concept of moral imagination; c) Applying the framework to the convergence between nanoscience, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science ("NBIC"). The method will be a workshop that brings together participants from STS, ethics and industry. It will be held at Arizona State University's Decision Theater, a facility designed to encourage collaboration among different stakeholders.
Broader Impact This workshop includes an interdisciplinary group of participants (see below) who would never appear at a society meeting together. Their work will have an impact on how converging technologies can be introduced in ways that promise social as well as technological progress. Results will also be relevant to the emerging fields of Earth Systems Engineering Management and Service Science. Results will be disseminated via: o A volume of edited papers from the workshop; o Articles in journals like Science, Technology & Human Values and IEEE Technology & Society. o On a web-site maintained at Arizona State University
