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Trainees's Zone

Associazione Observa, Science and Society

Key Personnel

Massimiano Bucchi Massimiano Bucchi (Ph.D. Social and Political Science, European University Institute, Florence 1997) is Associate Professor of Sociology of Science and Sociology of Communication at the University of Trento, Italy. His main research interests fall in the areas of public communication and public perception of science and technology; citizen participation in the governance of research and innovation. He has published five books, including Science and the media (London and New York, Routledge, 1998) and Science in society. An Introduction to Social Studies of Science (London and New York, Routledge, 2004) and several essays in international journals such as History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, Nature, New Genetics and Society, Science and Public Understanding of Science. He is a member of the International Scientific Committee for Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST), a founder and member of Observa-Science in Society (www.scienceinsociety.org) Scientific Committee and has taken part in many International Advisory Boards, including the Advisory Group for the European Science in Society Forum (2005). He has carried out research and given seminars at several prestigious international institutions, such as the Royal Society of London, Sussex University, Universität Bielefeld, ETH Zurich, University of Wisconsin, University of California Berkeley, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, University of Edinburgh, University of Tokyo, Museu da Vida Rio de Janeiro, Austrian Academy of the Sciences and received several recognitions for his work, including the Mullins Prize awarded by the Society for Social Studies of Science (1997) and the Lelli prize for the best dissertation in sociology (1998). Webpage: www.soc.unitn.it/sus/mb.htm

Federico Neresini (Ph.D. Sociology and Social Research, Trento 1992) teaches Social Research Methodology at the University of Padua, Italy. He is a member of the EASST (European Association for the Study of Science and Technology) and of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4s). He was awarded the Lelli Prize for the best Sociology Ph.d. dissertation (1992). His main research interests are in the area of the sociology of science, in particular public understanding of science. During the last years he has focused on biotechnology issues, with specific attention to cloning and in vitro fertilisation. His most recent publications include articles in Public Understandings of Science, Medicina nei Secoli –Journal of History of Medicine, Nature and Science and the book Sociologia della Salute (ed. with M. Bucchi,Roma, 2001).

Giuseppe Pellegrini (Ph.D. Sociology, Padova 2004) teaches methodology of social research at the University of Padova, Italy. He has been a visiting researcher at the University of Lancaster, UK. His current research focuses on social policy, citizenship rights and public participation with specific regard to biotechnology issues. He is the coordinator of the research area “Science and Citizens” at Observa - Science in Society. He is a member of the EASST (European Association for the Study of Science and Technology) and of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4s). His last book “Biotecnologie e cittadinanza” (Biotechnology and citizenship) is published by Libreria Gregoriana Edizioni, 2005.

Valeria Arzenton is researcher at the Association ‘Observa – Science in Society . She graduated in sociology at the University of Trento (IT) in 2001. Her final thesis was about the meaning of the ‘New Economy and Service Society’ in the context of recent transformations in contemporary society. She also studied in England, at Bath University, thanks to the Socrates/Erasmus programme and obtained a master’s in e-business management at CUOA Foundation Business School, Vicenza (IT). Her main research interests are the sociology of science, and in particular the public communication of science and the role of public participation in the governance of technoscientific innovation. Her recent work has focused on food safety and biotechnology issues, with specific attention to public perception of food-related risks. In 2005, she published the book A tavola con sicurezza (Safety at Table: Public Perception of Food Related Risks, with F. Neresini and L. Ravarotto ). She is also responsible for Observa yearly publication Science in Society Fact Book and contributes to the Italian newspaper La Stampa’s Tuttoscienze e Tecnologia.

Institutional profile

Observa – Science in Society Observa – Science in Society is a non-profit organization which aims at promoting the study and the discussion of the interaction between science and society, stimulating dialogue among researchers, policy makers and citizens.
Observa activities focuses on three main areas: Science Communication, Research and Innovation Policy and Science, Citizens involvement in Science and Technology. Its studies and activities aim at analysing, developing and evaluating solutions for public participation in a scientific, technological, health and environmental context; innovative procedures to involve the public in complex decisions and, in general, forms of dialogue between scientists and the wider public. Observa conducts research studies on issues like public perception of biotechnologies, the impact of museum and science centers, the evaluation of research activities, food safety and people’s perceptions of food related risks, and the attitude of young generations towards science curricula. With its Science in Society Monitor, published monthly in collaboration with the Science and Technology supplement of newspaper “La Stampa”, “Quark” magazine and Science tv programme “Superquark”, it regularly surveys the relationship between citizens and science in Italy.

Observa organises seminars and training workshops, publishes studies and research materials both on its website and its publication series. With its annual publication Science in Society Facts and Figures, it provides data and information to help understand the state and transformation of research and innovation in our society.
Observa activities see the participation of both social and natural scientists.
Observa regularly collaborates with several international institutions and research centres active in the same fields, including European Commission – DG. Research; CERN, Lancaster University, Bielefeld University, University Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Citè des Sciences Paris.
Information, publications and research materials at www.scienceinsociety.org

Selected Publications

Bucchi Massimiano, Science and the Media, London and New York: Routledge, 1998. Neresini Federico, "And Man descended from the Sheep. The Public Debate on Cloning in the Italian Press" in Public Understanding of Science, 1, 2000.
Bucchi M., Neresini F., "Why Are People Hostile to Biotechnologies?". Science, 2004, p. 1749-1749.
Bucchi, M., Neresini, F. "Biotech remains unloved by the more informed", Nature 416, 21 march 2002, p.261.
Bucchi M., "Can genetics help us rethink communication? Public communication of science as a ‘double helix’". New Genetics and Society, 2004, v. 23, n. 3, p. 269-283.
Bucchi M., Science in Society. An introduction to social studies of science, London: Routledge, 2004. p. 168