ITAS welcomes first senior fellow

The visit of Belgian sociologist Anne Bergmans marks the start of the ITAS Senior Fellowship Program. The professor from the University of Antwerp will work with ITAS researchers on issues related to the sustainable use of the deep subsurface.
Anne Bergmans
Takes a closer look at the sustainable use of the deep subsurface: The first ITAS Senior Fellow Anne Bergmans. (picture: UAntwerp)

Anne Bergmans is an expert in the field of participatory technology assessment and responsible innovation. Her work focuses on informed and inclusive decision-making on environmental and technological risks, for example, in the siting of controversial facilities such as nuclear waste repositories. She is an associate professor in the sociology of risk, safety, and security at the University of Antwerp (UAntwerp).

Particular interest in nuclear waste management

Most of Anne Bergmans’ research is policy-oriented action research with a focus on the interface between society and technology and the governance of risk. Her particular interest in nuclear waste management and related governance challenges dates back to the late 1990s, when she was part of the team that designed and set up the partnership approach for the Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Material (NIRAS-ONDRAF). Since then, she has been involved in several interdisciplinary projects on radioactive waste management, also at the European level.

Collaboration on sustainable use of the deep subsurface

At ITAS, Anne Bergmans will work together with members of the research group Radioactive Waste Management as a Socio-Technical Project on issues related to the sustainable use of the deep subsurface. “The subsurface comes more and more into the picture to solve environmental problems on the surface, for example, for geothermal energy production, nuclear waste disposal, or carbon dioxide storage,” states Anne Bergmans. “Therefore, conditions and an appropriate governance system need to be considered for taking proper care of these commons.”

Anne Bergmans will also give a guest lecture on “25 Years of Studying and Promoting Participation in Decision-Making on Complex Technologies” and organize a workshop to discuss the challenges of interdisciplinary work with ITAS colleagues.

The ITAS Senior Fellowship Program targets international professors and postdocs. It aims to carry out research and teaching projects at the ITAS site in Karlsruhe that are inspiring for both sides and to establish a long-term cooperation through joint projects and publications. (01.10.2024)

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