Science and Technology Studies Unit
Research at the intersections of science, technology and society.
In the Science and Technology Studies Unit (SATSU), we are interested in better understanding how people develop and use scientific knowledge and technological systems and artefacts, and start from the view that science and technologies are embedded in the societies and cultures in which they are made, used, and debated. We ask:
- How does science and technology shape the world we live in?
- How do cultural and political values and economic interests drive transformations in science and technology?
- How can people come together to critique and contribute to making a more equitable world that enhances diverse voices in science and technology?
- And how can we use creative approaches to bring about more just scientific, technological and social futures?
Established in 1988
AIS Lab - Artificial Intelligence in Society Lab
The AIS Lab is an open group for researchers and practitioners in the University of York that are interested in the social implications of AI and autonomous systems (AS). AIS Lab is a leading centre for deep reflection on, and insightful solutions to, issues pertaining to AI in Society through the creation of an AI in Society (AIS) Lab.
The Lab is also a great place to find expertise in difference aspects of the social and ethical impacts of AI and AS, and you can search the membership directory to find people to connect with.
Our research areas
At SATSU, our research interests span four substantive areas of contemporary science and technology and we have developed some distinctive conceptual and methodological approaches that you can read more about below.
Andrew J Webster Annual Lecture
Professor Andrew Webster (1951-2021) founded SATSU in 1988 and served as director until his retirement in 2017. In 2022, we established the Andrew J Webster Annual Lecture on Science, Technology and Society in his honour of his numerous contributions to the field.
