Masterclass : Explore the unexplored: Fostering innovation by SSH

Explore the Unexplored: Fostering Innovation by Social Sciences and Humanities

Success of innovations is strongly related to understanding and meeting needs of target groups. Innovation happens in markets which are part of a society, and all parts consist of people. Innovation often causes changes of perceptions and behaviours, it requires to think and to learn. In most cases innovation is more than introducing a new technology – it’s about impacting people and changing their behaviour. Therefore, it is indispensable to know why people are behaving the way they do.

Social sciences and humanities (SSH) are the disciplines which try to comprehend human beings, the ways they live together, their perceptions and behaviours. Therefore: the knowledge generated within SSH has got the potential to impact innovation successes and it can be a source of innovation by itself.

The workshop will explore the relation between SSH and innovation. The goal is to provide food for thought and some advice on the „why“ and „how“ of integrating SSH knowledge into the innovation system.

Using an interactive setting the workshop will consist of two parts:

• Introductory presentation which will cover the relation between SSH and innovation, the role of interdisciplinarity and social innovation. Benefits and examples of the integration of SSH into innovation will be touched. Tools how to integrate societal challenges into the innovation process will be introduced.
• Interactive discussion on barriers and opportunities of the usage of SSH knowledge in technology based innovations in the form of a world café.

At the end of this two hours-workshop participants will have inspired how to explore the often unexplored SSH world with regard to their role in the innovation system.

Agenda :

3:30 PM : Welcome coffee

4:00 PM : Introductory presentation which will cover the relation between SSH and innovation, the role of interdisciplinarity and social innovation. Discussion on benefits and examples of the integration of SSH into innovation. Introduction of tools for the integration of societal challenges into the innovation process.

4 :30 PM -5:30 PM :Interactive discussion on barriers and opportunities of the usage of SSH knowledge in technology based innovations in the form of a world café.

5:30 PM-6:00 PM : Restitution and Discussion with the participants

6:00 PM-8:00 PM : Dinner

To conclude, a dinner to encourage socializing with Genopolian community is scheduled in biocluster’s gardens.

Genopole proposes a shuttle service from Paris to Genopole, Evry and back.
The bus will be leaving from Place Denfert-Rochereau (close to Orly bus station) at 2:00pm.

This event is free, but with limited places : registration is required via our website (dinner and/or bus)

http://lists.genopole.fr/lists/lt.php?id=ZUpXAgRUAlUNAEwHBwMLSwFWAQRR