Abstract

Through a series of case studies, this presentation will explore the work one of CSIRO ’s social science groups – the Science into Society Group (SISG) – and reasons for its exponential growth from 3 to 36 researchers over the past six years. As part of the Division of Earth Science and Resource Engineering, the SISG applies social science expertise to understand human responses to nationally identified challenges. The Group has expertise across a broad range of social and natural sciences, specialising in interdisciplinary research at the interface between science and society. The SISG ’s original research began in the energy domain, to understand stakeholders attitudes towards carbon mitigation technologies with perceived risks and uncertainties. Their research quickly expanded to other domains including climate adaptation, oceans, and minerals, for example. Critical to its success, has been the need for SISG to work with researchers in the technical and engineering science domains – particularly as trusted experts – in the range of processes SISG use to engage with stakeholders across Australia. The case studies will elaborate on their research program around technology assessment, social licence to operate and behaviour change from topics such as climate change, energy to human services.