Through a transdisciplinary approach, theoretically rooted in the broad field of Science, Technology & Society (STS), the Athena Institute includes the knowledge and expertise of a wide variety of actors in the design, conduct and evaluation of research and innovation. Think of citizens, professionals, policymakers, NGOs, and scholars. We particularly focus on including voices that often remain unheard. By learning from each other's perspectives, we jointly generate new ideas and anticipate potential barriers, thereby enabling sustainable change.
Connecting science and society for a better tomorrow
Athena Institute
Transformation journeys
In this video series, Athena researchers share how they address complex problems based on societal needs. Through personal experiences they explain how they engage multiple actors, and how these actors learn from each other by doing. Together, they contribute to theoretical innovation and societal transformation towards a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world.
Transdisciplinary research
Approaches
Athena's most important asset is the way we design and apply approaches to shape multi-stakeholder processes, such as:
- Reflexive Monitoring in Action
- STS Making and Doing
- Citizen Science
- Public Engagement and Dialogue
More info will follow soon
Empirical domains
We apply our approaches in four domains, defined by areas in which societal problems are most pressing:
Multi-stakeholder engagement
Next to initiating multi-stakeholder processes, Athena empowers and trains all parties involved to ensure successful participation. Then, we reflexively monitor and evaluate our progress and learnings together. In such continuous processes everyone involved gains new insights, including us. Ultimately, we stimulate upscaling of successful innovations and anchor positive change through our methodologies for knowledge integration.