The Master of Science program in

Socio-Technological Systems Engineering

(STS)(STS)

Uppsala University

Why?Why?• Technology and society more and more

systematic

• Technology is integrated in social and cultural factors

• Those systems are socio-technological

• Technological impact is not simply a matter of technical performance

• From chips level to system level

• Broader perspective is needed

Demand of engineers with Demand of engineers with broad competencebroad competence

• with insight into– society and organizations– technology’s social conditions– how technology affects society and human

beings– environment – resources – economy -

technology

The programThe program

• Master of Science in engineering, 4,5 year (one of nine Master of Science in engineering programs at Uppsala University)

• Social science and humanities account for one third

• Complex socio-technological systems are a common focus

• Content and methods from both natural science/engineering and humanity/social science

Traditional eng / STS engTraditional eng / STS eng

• part (smallest component)

• unit (generator, processor)

• part of a system (cooling system, computer)

• System (Powerplant, distributed computer systems)

• Infrastructure (production and distribution of energy/distributed information system)

S

T

S

Pedagogic considerationsPedagogic considerations

• Integration

• During the first year both disciplins are equally exposed

• Each course five units/two parallell courses

• Multitude forms of – Teaching – Learning– Examinationtrad. written exams, project work, lab work, PM’s,

seminars, programming etc

• Mathematics – stocastic proc – nat science

• Analysis

• Modeling

• Simulations

• Automatic control

• Complex dynamic nonlinear systems

• Information technology – Biological systems

Content: Engineering and Content: Engineering and natural sciencenatural sciencess

• Business studies

• Economic history

• Philosophy

• Social and economic geography

• Engineering in society

• Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Content: Social science and Content: Social science and humanitieshumanities

Thesis workThesis work

• ”An Agile Evaluation System for the Naval Forces”

• ”A Survey of Ongoing Composting Projects in South Africa”

• ”Communicate Traffic Related Informtion”

• ”Canada’s Oil Sands Resources and its Future Impact on Global Oil Supply”

• ”Coverage of landfills in a national perspective”

Where do they work?Where do they work?

• The Institute of GNP political studies

• Ongame

• Infrafone

• Netwise

• Aerotech Telub

• The National Railway Institute

• The National Road Institute

• Ecoloop

Experience Experience • Attractive program

• New group of students in engineering– Active in all student organisations– Broad interests– Cultural– Ask questions!– Study abroad– Good speakers– Good writers– Interested in society and politics– Work hard– Liked by all teachers!

ObstaclesObstacles

• Cultural collision

• True engineer

• Physics

• Five unit courses

• Attitudes– Teachers– Other students– Faculty members

The STS program

www.stsprogrammet.nuwww.stsprogrammet.nu

Uppsala University