The Institute for Science and Society (ISS) was an international centre of excellence in Science and Technology Studies located at the University of Nottingham, UK.
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History
It was founded in 1998 as the Genetics and Society Unit (GSU) and was later (2001) renamed the Institute for the Study of Genetics, Biorisks and Society (IGBiS) before its remit was expanded in 2006 to cover the social, legal, ethical and cultural implications of any field of science, medicine or technology, at which point it became ISS. The Institute was restructured in 2010 and mostly merged into the School of Sociology and Social Policy.
About ISS
The Institute for Science and Society was a multidisciplinary centre drawing on a wide range of social sciences and humanities disciplines to conduct research into cutting edge aspects of the mutual relationship between science and society. Historically, the Institute's agenda was dominated by topics in the bio-sciences, broadly conceived, but it became increasingly involved in partnerships around physical science issues like nanotechnology, sustainable energy use and climate change.
The Institute is now physically part of the School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Nottingham, but works virtually across the University under the University's Priority Group scheme as the Science and Technology Studies Priority Group.
Since its foundation, the Institute has been variously supported by grants and contracts from the Leverhulme and Wellcome Trusts, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Medical Research Council (MRC), The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Union and the National Health Service (NHS).
Dr. Sujatha Raman and Professor Brigitte Nerlich are the current co-directors of the Institute.