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| R-117/03 |
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"The development
of stem cell research and bioethics"
Prof. Dr. Rainer Schweizer, University of St. Gallen; Dr. Beatrix
Rubin, University of Basle CHF 101' 900.–
From the experience of 40 years of stem cell research, the
dynamics of the research process will be examined from the
perspective of reproduction biology. Researchers will be interviewed
about their ethical thinking and their motivation. The history
of reproduction biology is to be compiled in the Max-Planck-Institut
für Wissenschaftsgeschichte in Berlin, especially with
a view on cloning. Finally, a comparative study of the regulations
of research is planned. Together, these three projects are
hoped to bring more transparency into the heated discussion
on stem cell research. |
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| S-101/04 |
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"The
Emergence and Evolution of Syntactic Ambiguity"
Stefan Hoefler, University of Zurich; Professor James R. Hurford,
Edinburgh
CHF 121'900.- (for 3 years)
This project examines the process by which characteristic ambiguities
develop in languages, which make machine translations so difficult.
An abstract language will be modified according to certain
algorithms and passed on to a second computer, which has to "learn" the "new" language.
It is assumed that the cultural transfer of languages changes
their structure according to non-linguistic constraints thus
making it partly non-universal.
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| T-103/04 |
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"Will climate
change the world?"
Dr. Dominik Galliker, Academia Engelberg CHF 28'000.–
This year's "Dialogue on Science" of the Academia
Engelberg (September 29 to October 1, 2004) will be about
climate change. Various aspects will be discussed, among
others the question how new scientific insights find their
way to the public and to decision makers. Other topics will
be: Climate and society, climate change and the third world,
adaptation vs. mitigation. Students from the ETH will prepare
workshops where these and other questions are to be discussed.
It is hoped that the exposure to these complex and controversial
problems will introduce them to multidisciplinary thinking.
www.academia-engelberg.ch |
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| T-106/04 |
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"Collective Decision-making by
Animals and Humans" 23. - 26. September 2004
Prof. Dr. Marta Manser; PD Dr. Gerald Kerth, Institute of Zoology,
University of Zurich CHF 15'000.–
This four-day workshop in Zurich will serve as a platform to exchange
information on the topic between economists, ecologists and behavioural
biologists. This exchange is important, as the possibilities to compare
despotic and democratic decisions are hampered by a lack of empirical
data. The presentations will be published in "Trends in Evolution
and Ecology ". |
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| R-107/04 |
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"Science & Society" (Continuation
to R-106/03)
Prof. Dr. David Krieger, Peter Kirchschläger, Christian Filk, University
of Lucerne (IKK) CHF 50'000.–
This research project aims to examine the limits of communication
between science and politics. During the past year, work concentrated
on the analysis of empirical data that were collected during the annual "Science & Society" conferences,
which the group organizes. Based on this work, methods of knowledge
management and a model for a better communication between scientists
and members of parliament will be developed.
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| R-108/04 |
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"The Health of the
Kel Tamasheq in Mali"
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Schulze, Institute of Islamic Science, University
of Berne
CHF 75'000.–
This is a joint project of the Institute for Tropical Medicine in Basel and
the Institute of Islamic Science in Bern. The research will determine how these
nomadic people perceive illness individually and socially. The attempt to introduce
much needed modern methods of preventive and therapeutic medicine is hampered
by tradition and taboos. The fieldwork will be conducted by a local physician
and by a Swiss Islam scientist, who as a woman speaking the local languages,
hopes to win the trust of the patients more easily. |
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| R-109/04 |
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"The Role of Emotion:
its part in human actions"
Prof. Dr. Gerd Folkers, Collegium Helveticum,
Zurich CHF 250'000.–
The topic will be discussed from the point of view of many disciplines:
Social sciences: The neuronal base of moral emotion. (Prof.
Ernst Fehr)
Pharmacology: Mechanisms of emotional pain suppression considering
especially social contexts and cultural backgrounds. (Prof. Gerd Folkers)
Neurology: Self-organisation of the brain by experience.
(Prof. Hanns Möhler)
Physics: Investigating the code of thinking and emotions.
(Prof. Reinhard Nesper)
History: Emotion in masses; historic perspectives. (Prof.
Jakob Tanner)
It is hoped that the various groups will eventually find
problems, which can only be tackled with the help of others. Common
seminars and project discussions should support this process of approximation,
which in itself is the object of a research project. |
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| R-113/04 |
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"Roots
of Civilization"
Dr. Aleksander Dzbynski, University of Basle
CHF 44'800.– (for 2 years)
This project follows an innovative line of research concerning the early
history of Europe. From burial gifts found in graves in some societies,
it can be inferred that some of these early cultures were familiar with
the principles of measuring. This is because the container sizes of these
burial gifts were iterative doublings. The measuring process is fundamental
to the development of civilization, as in this way man’s internal
world can be mapped onto his environment. This process is virtually uninvestigated
in central Europe – a gap that will be filled by this project. |
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| S-116/04 |
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"welfare
state and development"
Dominic Rohner, University of Cambridge (UK)
CHF 45'000.– (CHF 15'000.– for 3 years )
This Doctoral thesis under the supervision of Prof. Sir Partha Dasgupta
on “welfare state and development” will give an overview
of the welfare state in developing nations and work out which of its
aspects can be positive or negative for economic growth in which countries.
Criteria such as minimum wage, social security, education and taxation
will be considered. With the development of a model simulation it is
envisioned to study the influence of different parameters on the success
of reforms. This social study explicitly uses methods from the exact
sciences to obtain more complete and reliable results.
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| T-119/04 |
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"From Animal
Mind to Human Mind"
Prof. Dr. Ernst Hafen, Institute of Zoology, University of Zurich
CHF 12'000.-
In honour of Rüdiger Wehner’s 65th birthday and to commemorate
his retirement as director of the zoological institute at the University
of Zurich, a scientific symposium is organized. Renowned speakers will
tackle “From animal mind to human mind” on the 12th of February
2005 at the University of Zurich. The event will celebrate Rüdiger
Wehner’s innovative and fundamental contributions to neurobiology
and zoology.
Ins
Hirn geschaut (in
German only)
 From
Animal Mind to Human Mind
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| R-126/04 |
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"Risikokonzepte in Technikdiskursen.
Eine vergleichende Analyse von Molekularbiologie und Nanowissenschaften"
Prof. Sabine Maasen, MS Monika Kurath, University Basle
CHF 70'000.-
Up to now, there are no studies which compare the nanosciences with molecular
biology or which look at risk concepts of non-scientific bodies and specific
characteristics of academic knowledge production. The analysis and comparison
of risk concepts in the nanosciences and molecular biology in Switzerland
will be built up as a qualitative sociological study concentrating on three
questions:
- How do scientists value the risks of nano technology?
- How do people outside the sciences see the risks of nano technology?
- Are there “boundary objects” or “trading zones” where
differing risk assessments are negotiated?
The project can gain new insight for politics to deal with controversial
technologies. The results will find their way into lectures and seminars
and will be included at an international conference on science studies. |
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