The recent withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement has not only revealed the radically different views on the need to move towards a more sustainable economy but also renewed attention to the environmental pressures and social inequities of our times. During the past two decades, many renewable technologies, such as solar PV, wind power and smart buildings, have reached a high level of maturity and have become accepted instruments for addressing the sustainability challenges of the 21st century. Climate change and the search for a more sustainable economy also feature prominently in the agenda of governments. Likewise, companies are widely adopting corporate sustainability policies not only reaping the benefits of “low hanging fruits” but also creating competitive advantages by embedding sustainability into their operations. Undoubtedly, sustainability increasingly matters in technology development, public policy, and corporate strategies. Yet, policymakers and companies seeking to realize the potential of sustainability need to find ways to integrate sustainable technologies into their policies and strategies. At a time of extraordinary social and environmental change, integration is essential to solving these challenges.
This year’s academy is concerned with research on integrating technologies, policies, and strategies for a more sustainable economy. We provide a unique platform for junior researchers (PhD students and postdoctoral researchers) with a background in management, innovation studies, economics or political sciences to present their work to an audience of like-minded scholars and four international faculty with a record of accomplishment in research on sustainable technologies, policies, strategies and entrepreneurship. Participants obtain detailed feedback on their research design, theoretical approaches and methodology. In addition, we provide plenty of room for informal discussions and networking with other junior scholars and professors. Students in previous years have come from, amongst others, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, the University of Cambridge, and Oxford University. This year’s faculty consists of:
- Dr. Erin Baker - Professor for Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, UMassAmherst
- Dr. Gail Whiteman - Professor for Sustainability in Business, Lancaster University
- Dr. Jeffrey York - Professor for Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations, University of Colorado Boulder
- Dr. Volker Hoffmann - Professor for Sustainability and Technology, ETH Zurich
Research of the participants should focus on – but is not limited to – the following topics:
- Innovation strategies, innovation systems and institutional change in the context of sustainability
- Corporate sustainability, environmental entrepreneurship and the coevolution of industries
- Ecological change, resilience and dynamics of social-ecological systems
- Technological change and innovation policy in the context of energy, water, mobility or food
- Sustainable circular economy and implications for policies, strategies and technological change
- Technology diffusion and decision making in the field of renewable energy technologies
The ETH Academy on Sustainability and Technology will take place in a hotel in the midst of the Swiss Alps. To guarantee an intensive learning process, attendance is limited to 15 participants. Third-party funding allows us to offer a participation fee of only CHF 450 (ca. 450 USD) which covers accommodation, meals and excursions.
Please send your applications to Johannes Meuer (jmeuer@ethz.ch) and include (i) a cover letter explaining your motivation, (ii) a proposal of max. 2 pages, and (iii) your CV. The deadline for application is 12 March 2018. We will send out notification of acceptance by 19 April 2018. Deadline for full paper submission (10-15 pages) is 25 May 2018. For additional information, you can find the programs of previous academies on our website (http://www.sustec.ethz.ch/teaching/phd-academy.html) or contact Johannes Meuer.