21/04/2026
Dear colleagues,
📢 We warmly invite you to submit an abstract for Panel #63:
“How to cooperate with engineering and natural sciences: capitalizing past, designing futures”
at the 4S Conference in Toronto (Oct 7–10, 2026).
We’re planning a dynamic format that combines traditional presentations with an interactive workshop using futures-thinking methods. The goal is to collectively explore the challenges facing STS in the coming decades — moving from paper discussions to hands-on dialogue and collaboration.
💡 The session will include:
– academic paper presentations
– a futures-oriented workshop
– a closing dialogue session
📍 Format: in-person
🗓 Submission deadline: April 30, 2026
🔗 Submission details: https://www.4sonline.org/call_for_submissions_toronto.php
About the panel
Collaborating with engineers and natural scientists is a core part of STS practice — whether in teaching, interdisciplinary projects, analyzing technological failures, or co-designing solutions.
But these collaborations are rarely straightforward. They involve navigating differences in status across disciplines, managing complex emotions, and addressing methodological tensions.
This panel asks:
– How can we build truly collaborative spaces with other sciences?
– How do we respond to practical needs without losing the critical edge of STS?
– How can we communicate clearly without reducing STS to buzzwords?
– How can we create lasting impact on engineering and scientific practices?
– How do we resist the pull of solutionism — not only in engineering, but within STS itself?
Join us in shaping this conversation and imagining future directions together.
Looking forward to your contributions!
Call for Paper Abstracts and Other Proposals is NOW OPEN:March 3–April 30, 2026Notification of Acceptance: May 29, 20264S 2026 Conference: October 7-10, 2026The Conference will primarily be in person, but there is also a hybrid option to enable online participation for those who can’t make it to...
