Challenges for Science and Engineering in the 21st Century
(working title)
A conference to be held in Stockholm, Sweden in June 2000
Background document and proposal
1. The proposal
The proposal to arrange a conference on the topic described in the title was raised at the INES Council Meeting in August 1996 in the Netherlands, directly following the INES conference called Challenges of Sustainable Development. The year 2000 was considered to offer a most timely occasion for such an arrangement to highlight and examine the issues that are at the core of the INES network. Several of those present were given the task of investigating the possibilities to arrange a conference in their home countries. Later it was concluded that the best conditions and support for the proposed conference were offered in Sweden.
At the next INES executive committee meeting in Paris on January 18, 1997 a longer discussion was held on a future conference and practicalities were discussed as well as content. Hartwig Spitzer and Lars Rydén got the joint task of writing a statement of intent for the meeting (see below).
A special INES task force meeting was arranged in Mühlheim, Germany on June 8 for the further discussion of the conference. Thereafter concrete preparative steps were taken during two meetings in Uppsala, Sweden on July 29, 1997 and January 10, 1998. The meeting on July 29 marked the beginning of the project in a more formal way. Some 20 participants from all over the world had an opportunity to discuss contents, organization and preparations for the coming three years.
2. Local organization in Sweden
The individuals taking part in the preparative work in Sweden come from the following organizations: the Swedish Scientists and Engineers for Nuclear Disarmament (FIMK), the Swedish Pugwash Group, and the Royal Academy of Sciences (KVA) and the Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research. The ad hoc local steering group consists of Lars Rydén, member of the INES Ecexutive Committee, Kerstin Lindahl Kiessling, Chairman of the Swedish Pugwash group and Ambassador Bo Kjellén, at the Swedish Ministry of Environment.
3. Aims and intent
There is a consensus that the future tasks and orientations for engineering and science is a central topic for the conference. One might say that the most important task of the conference is in some sense to produce an “Agenda 21“ for engineering and science. However a special concern are the moral dimension and many see the responsibility of scientists and engineers as the focus. The historical dimension should also be relevant for a conference on the year 2000.
The statement of intent (970301) - trying to balance these views - contains the following:
“The beginning of a new millennium is an opportunity to reflect upon the past and to develop strategies for change. This is particularly true for us, in science and engineering. We thus declare our intention to hold in the year 2000 a major conference and related events to provide analysis and perspectives, and create visions for the future role of science and engineering in 21st century.
Since its institution science has been an important force in society. It has expanded our world view, and at the same time narrowed it. Technology has changed society, lifestyles and conditions in many spheres, most importantly war fighting and the economy. Science and technology have been forces in its own right, but have also been exploited by political, economic and military power.
When the modern ‘scientific project’ was set in motion 400 years ago by Galilei, Descartes and Bacon its intention may have been to seek knowledge for its own sake or to improve living conditions of fellow human beings; Although this has happened, science has also led us to a world where technology of war fighting is capable of annihilating mankind, where large scale changes of the global atmosphere are occurring, and where exploitation of the environment threatens to undermine the natural support basis of future generations. After 400 years we can not continue in the same way.
The situation prompts us to examine the value basis of science, and to analyse the social institutions and structures in which science and technology are being pursued. The situation challenges the individuals and institutions of science and engineering to change so that they might systematically contribute to the development of a world without war, poverty and environmental devastation; to a sustainable and equitable world in the next century.
We propose that the present situation and future options be examined, discussed and embodied in a process leading up to the year 2000 as an effort to find new directions. We encourage our colleagues in all fields to join us in this endeavour.“
4. Content
With a platform in the statement of intent and taking input from several groups into account the content of the conference is expected to focus on four themes. In these “hard issues“ such as technology changes prompted by requirements of sustainable resource use, have a clear part. However social changes are also addressed in particular the basis of world economy, and security issues contain both social and technological components. Finally the element of personal responsibility is also present.
The themes are
1) The culture of science and technology and individual responsibility
2) Science and engineering for a finite world
3) Restructuring economy in a global context
4) Steps to comprehensive security and a lasting peace
At present a questionnaire regarding content is circulated among the almost 70 member organisations and many individual members of INES and further input is expected. The discussion of content is assumed to be continued in a program committee.
5. Proposed conference place, time and format
The conference is perceived as a meeting of a four days (the INES conference in Amsterdam lasted three days) and with a few hundred participants (there were 500 in Amsterdam). It is assumed to consist of plenary presentations, and some 20 well prepared parallel working groups. The date of the conference have been proposed to be June 14-18 in the year 2000.
Stockholm University has been addressed with the question of hosting the conference and initial contacts have been very positive.
There are proposals for practical excursions to sites ‘of application’, there is a wish for a reach out program to the public, and to make the event well visible in media to spur a public discussion.
Participation includes INES members, but an emphasis has been put on the importance to include the younger generation, not the least students but also schools. Other participants proposed include diplomats and politicians.
Although there is a general agreement that a conference for a few days is to be arranged with a few hundred participants, many other ideas have been voiced.
a) The conference may be connected to groups in other countries over video conferencing or computer conferencing to have more people take part without spending too much time and fuel on their travelling. In such a case simultaneous events must be arranged elsewhere.
b) Pre-workshops (perhaps analogously post-workshops) may be arranged as part of the preparation for the conference and for special themes. Some or all of these may be arranged in other countries and by other groups of the INES network.
c) Electronic internet preparatory events may be arranged. A favoured form of this is an ‘electronic exhibition’ where different groups around the world are responsible for the different ‘rooms’ in a such an exhibit. This idea originated with the Mexican group which now seems to be on its way to make a real, ‘physical’, exhibition on science and society, with an emphasis on science and peace.
6. Documents from the Conference
It is important that the conference produces a document that has a lasting impact. It has been debated wether a documentation should be done before the conference - to be discussed at the occasion - or if rather conference proceedings should be more conventionally produced after the conference.
The proposal includes not only a proceedings book but also a textbook for university students based on the plenary lectures, to make an electronic textbook for the preparatory phase and to make a detailed lists of important tasks for the coming century. Each of these serve a particular function and should be considered by a conference committee to be established.
7. Coordination with other activities
Obviously many events are being prepared for the year 2000. We have tried to be informed about these, coordinate when possible and avoid overlap when this is not so. So far we have contacts with the UN, UNESCO and several scientific organizations.