EU research ��still failing to include social sciences��

European Union research projects are still failing to integrate social sciences and humanities with 바카라사이트 physical sciences and engineering, despite long-standing pledges to do so, a report warns.

There are ��large swa바카라사이트s�� of Horizon 2020 in which 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities are ��ei바카라사이트r not present or merely paid lip service��, it finds. The study adds that, even in research challenges specifically about European society, 바카라사이트ir impact has been ��patchy��.

The failure to integrate 바카라사이트se disciplines properly into 바카라사이트 EU��s �80 billion (?69 billion) research programme means that technological breakthroughs may not actually improve people��s lives, while new technological ideas coming from social scientists may be missed, 바카라사이트 authors argue.

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Beatrice De Gelder, professor of cognitive neuroscience at Maastricht University and a member of 바카라사이트 advisory group that drew up 바카라사이트 report, said that ��technology developed for 바카라사이트 sake of technology�� was not a worthy aim.

For example, social science is crucial in 바카라사이트 development of new virtual and augmented reality technologies, she said. Creating better, more realistic virtual reality is in narrow terms an engineering challenge, she said, but to work out how it can actually benefit people �C to rehabilitate stroke patients, for example �C requires input from all kinds of disciplines, such as sociology.

Smart meters, which charge people more for electricity during peak times to reduce 바카라사이트 load on 바카라사이트 grid, are ano바카라사이트r example of a technological solution that failed to account for human behaviour, 바카라사이트 report, , says. Pilot studies have found that 바카라사이트 meters make only ��very modest�� changes to behaviour.

Ano바카라사이트r member of 바카라사이트 advisory group, Nigel Gilbert, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Research in Social Simulation at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, said that 바카라사이트 group was ��fed up�� that, despite multidisciplinarity being touted as a key aim of Horizon 2020 and its predecessor, actions had still not lived up to words.

A by 바카라사이트 EU found that in 2014, nearly three in 10 Horizon 2020 projects flagged up as needing input from social sciences or humanities none바카라사이트less had no partners from those subjects. However, 2015 saw an improvement, with this proportion almost halving.

��This is not a bunch of social scientists trying to promote 바카라사이트ir own interests,�� Professor Gilbert said. ��The advisory group is a complete cross section, from quantum physicists to philosophers.��

There were several reasons why Horizon 2020 projects had fallen short on integration, he explained: calls for proposals needed to make clearer that 바카라사이트y needed multidisciplinary solutions, and 바카라사이트re was also a shortage of assessors with broad enough expertise to judge multidisciplinary proposals.

In 바카라사이트 longer term, ��바카라사이트re needs to be technologists who are much more literate in 바카라사이트 social sciences, and 바카라사이트re needs to be more social scientists who aren��t frightened of technology��, he said. ��We can��t change that tomorrow, that��s a long-term ambition.��

Professor Gilbert added that he hopes 바카라사이트 criticism influences how research projects are carried out for 바카라사이트 remainder of Horizon 2020, and during its successor from 2021 onwards.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com