Driving responsible research and innovation: science, society and the energy movement
- Malan, N., Simpson, Z., Janse van Rensburg, N.
- Authors: Malan, N. , Simpson, Z. , Janse van Rensburg, N.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Science-society engagement , Renewable energy , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/250917 , uj:26158 , Citation: Malan, N., Simpson, Z. & Janse van Rensburg, N. 2017. Driving responsible research and innovation: science, society and the energy movement.
- Description: Abstract: South Africa faces the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, as well as looming problems regarding water, energy and food. Science, technology and engineering are able to address some of these challenges but are often inaccessible and unfamiliar to the general public. Research and innovation in these fields needs to be increased, and undertaken in partnership with multidisciplinary stakeholders. This article uses the example of an engineering education initiative, the African Solar Drive, to illustrate how this may be achieved. It discusses recent developments in the philosophy of science that have emphasised responsibility in research and development, the similarities of these with action research methodologies and the relevance of these for the concerns South Africa faces at the moment. It presents a general methodology for science-society engagement and locates the African Solar Drive as a prelude to such engagement between higher education and the general public.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Malan, N. , Simpson, Z. , Janse van Rensburg, N.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Science-society engagement , Renewable energy , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/250917 , uj:26158 , Citation: Malan, N., Simpson, Z. & Janse van Rensburg, N. 2017. Driving responsible research and innovation: science, society and the energy movement.
- Description: Abstract: South Africa faces the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, as well as looming problems regarding water, energy and food. Science, technology and engineering are able to address some of these challenges but are often inaccessible and unfamiliar to the general public. Research and innovation in these fields needs to be increased, and undertaken in partnership with multidisciplinary stakeholders. This article uses the example of an engineering education initiative, the African Solar Drive, to illustrate how this may be achieved. It discusses recent developments in the philosophy of science that have emphasised responsibility in research and development, the similarities of these with action research methodologies and the relevance of these for the concerns South Africa faces at the moment. It presents a general methodology for science-society engagement and locates the African Solar Drive as a prelude to such engagement between higher education and the general public.
- Full Text:
Understanding the impact of engineering through appropriate technology development
- Janse van Rensburg, Nickey, Simpson, Z., Malan, N.
- Authors: Janse van Rensburg, Nickey , Simpson, Z. , Malan, N.
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Engineering education , SOLO taxonomy , Project-based learning
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/124081 , uj:20871 , Citation: Janse van Rensburg, N., Simpson, Z & Malan, N. 2016. Understanding the impact of engineering through appropriate technology development.
- Description: Abstract: This research describes a pilot project which aimed to introduce CDIO-type (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate), project-based learning through a community-based project in a third year Material Science module. The project formed part of an agriculture research initiative, and relied on interdisciplinary research collaboration between engineering, social sciences, management, entrepreneurship, and industrial arts. The initiative seeks to develop an agribusiness solution that will create an open-market, growth-oriented food economy. As part of the initiative, engineering students, participating in teams, worked alongside a community of urban farmers, most of whom are working poor, so as to develop appropriate, intermediate technology/ies that could support the farmers. This was informed by the need to have students demonstrate high level understanding of disciplinary content, but also to engage in human-centered design thinking and practice.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Janse van Rensburg, Nickey , Simpson, Z. , Malan, N.
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Engineering education , SOLO taxonomy , Project-based learning
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/124081 , uj:20871 , Citation: Janse van Rensburg, N., Simpson, Z & Malan, N. 2016. Understanding the impact of engineering through appropriate technology development.
- Description: Abstract: This research describes a pilot project which aimed to introduce CDIO-type (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate), project-based learning through a community-based project in a third year Material Science module. The project formed part of an agriculture research initiative, and relied on interdisciplinary research collaboration between engineering, social sciences, management, entrepreneurship, and industrial arts. The initiative seeks to develop an agribusiness solution that will create an open-market, growth-oriented food economy. As part of the initiative, engineering students, participating in teams, worked alongside a community of urban farmers, most of whom are working poor, so as to develop appropriate, intermediate technology/ies that could support the farmers. This was informed by the need to have students demonstrate high level understanding of disciplinary content, but also to engage in human-centered design thinking and practice.
- Full Text:
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