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Call for abstracts: Energy, Society and People: A multi-disciplinary UCL symposium

31 March 2014

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This afternoon symposium, to be held on the 29th May 2014, seeks to explore how researchers within UCL are addressing the challenge of accelerating sustainable energy transitions through a focus on people and society.

Energy research is still evolving in terms of methodological and theoretical focus. Although commonly grounded in the physical sciences and engineering, there has been growing interest over recent decades in exploring energy as a social phenomenon, rather than a physically defined and quantified resource. This has led to the reframing of humanity’s attempts to reduce energy use as an interdisciplinary problem, which is as much social and political as it is technical.

The UCL Energy Social Sciences Group, based within the Bartlett faculty of the built environment, is seeking participants for a half day symposium to bring together researchers from across UCL who are applying social methods and theories to energy research. This could include, but is not limited to, social scientists working within engineering and physical science faculties who are trying to negotiate the territory of ‘doing’ social science in a technocentric environment, and researchers from all disciplinary backgrounds trying to grapple with the questions of how people and society shapes the ‘energy problem’. We also encourage participation from researchers working in a range of disciplines, including physical, social and behavioural sciences, arts and humanities, whose work relates to issues of energy use and sustainability.

The event is designed to enable as many participants as possible to share their research interests and will be structured around two short afternoon paper sessions and a single session for shorter presentations of ideas, abstracts and provocations. The aim is to encourage participants and audience members to identify crossovers and scope for new collaborations.  An early evening poster and networking session, facilitating more informal discussions and skills exchange, will then follow.

We invite submissions for the following sessions:

_15 minute presentations

_5 minute research ‘abstracts, ideas or provocations’;

_Posters (A1, Portrait format)

Please send abstracts of up to 200 words to ucl.energy.ssg@gmail.com, stating your department and which session you wish to be considered for. The abstract should include a clear indication of the theoretical framework, methodologies or disciplines being drawn on to address problems of energy and society.

Deadline for submissions: 17th April 2014

The symposium is organised by the UCL Energy Social Sciences Group, which brings together UCL researchers whose work considers the social aspects of energy use and supply. For more information and if you’re interested in joining the group please visit our website.