Interview with Dr. Miltos Ladikas , RRI-LEADERS Advisor

Technology Assessment (TA) is commonly used by governments, research institutions, and organizations to make informed decisions about the adoption, regulation, or investment in specific technologies. It evaluates potential risks, benefits, opportunities, and implications of a particular technological innovation, and assesses societal and economic transformation, environmental impact, and ethical aspects, promoting responsible technological innovation.

We have asked Dr. Ladikas about his thoughts about whether RRI and TA can work together or not into decision-making processes, and that is what he has conveyed to us:

“Well, I would say it is neither friends nor foes. RRI and TA are siblings, I would think, in the sense that they have the same parenthood, they come from the same place, from the same thinking. They basically aim at the same issues, and more importantly, they have the same methodologies.

I would say that TA is the elder of the two. He is the big brother that everyone is looking up to, that they imitate, and they are happy to be around, but still, they want to be different, they want to be better than the sibling brother. So, we do have a sibling rivalry between them, and this is perhaps the idea about the foes. They are not real foes, but this rivalry is about attention, in academia, in policymaking, and it is about trying to make a better case, to achieve the aims that they attempt to achieve better.

So, I would say that there is not much difference, and one should not see it as something either or. RRI and TA can work together, have worked together, and will be working together for the same goals, and that is by far the best way of achieving what we are all trying to achieve: better policymaking in science, technology and innovation, more socially coherent, more environmentally friendly, more sustainable policy.”