Helga Nowotny

Helga Nowotny is a renowned Austrian sociologist, known for her work in the fields of sociology of science and science and technology studies, closely related to the ideas of Thomas Kuhn, Bruno Latour, and Michel Callon. Her research has been influenced by the works of Karl Popper, Paul Feyerabend, and Imre Lakatos, and has been associated with institutions such as the University of Vienna, European Research Council, and Institute for Advanced Studies. Nowotny's academic background is rooted in the traditions of Vienna Circle, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Karl Marx, and she has collaborated with scholars like Ulrich Beck, Anthony Giddens, and Pierre Bourdieu.

● Early Life and Education

Helga Nowotny was born in Vienna, Austria, and spent her early years in a city still reeling from the aftermath of World War II, with the Allies occupying the city, and the Austrian Resistance movement still active. She pursued her higher education at the University of Vienna, where she studied sociology, philosophy, and psychology, under the guidance of professors like Paul Lazarsfeld and Theodor Adorno. Nowotny's academic journey was also influenced by the works of Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Georg Simmel, and she was part of a generation of scholars that included Jürgen Habermas, Niklas Luhmann, and Herbert Marcuse.

● Career

Nowotny's career has spanned several decades, with appointments at prestigious institutions such as the University of Bielefeld, University of Vienna, and ETH Zurich. She has worked closely with scholars like Bruno Latour, Michel Callon, and John Law, and has been involved in various research projects, including the ESRC-funded study on science and technology policy, and the EU-funded project on innovation and entrepreneurship, in collaboration with organizations like the European Commission, OECD, and World Bank. Nowotny has also been a visiting scholar at institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley, and has participated in conferences organized by the American Sociological Association, International Sociological Association, and Society for Social Studies of Science.

● Research and Publications

Nowotny's research has focused on the sociology of science, science and technology studies, and innovation studies, with a particular emphasis on the social construction of science, science policy, and technology assessment, building on the work of Thomas Kuhn, Paul Feyerabend, and Imre Lakatos. She has published numerous articles and books, including The Sociology of Science, Science and Technology Studies, and Innovating for Sustainability, in collaboration with scholars like Ulrich Beck, Anthony Giddens, and Pierre Bourdieu, and has been published in journals like Science, Technology, & Human Values, Social Studies of Science, and Research Policy, which are affiliated with organizations like the Society for Social Studies of Science, International Sociological Association, and American Sociological Association.

● Awards and Honors

Nowotny has received several awards and honors for her contributions to the field of sociology of science and science and technology studies, including the Ludwig Wittgenstein Prize, Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, and ERC Advanced Grant, awarded by organizations like the Austrian Academy of Sciences, European Research Council, and Federal Ministry of Science and Research. She has also been elected as a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and Academia Europaea, and has been recognized for her work by institutions like the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

● Presidency of

the ERC Nowotny served as the President of the European Research Council from 2010 to 2013, during which time she played a key role in shaping the ERC's research agenda and promoting excellence in science, in collaboration with organizations like the European Commission, European Parliament, and European Council. Her presidency was marked by a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research, international collaboration, and science policy, and she worked closely with scholars like Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Fotis Kafatos, and Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, and institutions like the Max Planck Society, CNRS, and Royal Society. Nowotny's leadership at the ERC helped to establish the organization as a major player in the European research landscape, with partnerships with organizations like the European Space Agency, CERN, and EMBO. Category:Scientists