New Report Explores the Ethics of Digital eXtended Reality, Neurotechnologies, and Climate Engineering

/in , , , /by

TechEthos project publishes two analyses of the ethics and laws applicable to the three technology families under study

In June 2022, TechEthos (Ethics for Technologies with High Socio-Economic Impact), a Horizon 2020-funded project, published a draft report on the ethical issues that need to be considered for the three technology families under study:

  • Digital eXtended Reality, including the techniques of visually eXtended Reality (XR) and the techniques of Natural Language Processing (NLP)
  • Neurotechnologies
  • Climate Engineering, including Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Solar Radiation Management (SRM)

The report, co-authored by tech ethicist Laurynas Adomaitis and physicist Alexei Grinbaum at the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), along with Dominic Lenzi from the University of Twente (TU), is currently under review by the European Commission. It is based on literature studies, original research, expert consultation, and digital ethnographies.

TechEthos

Source: TechEthos Report on the Analysis of Ethical Issues

In addition to briefly describing the technologies in each family, the report identifies core ethical dilemmas, describes key applications and case studies, and identifies ethical values and principles in line with the “ethics by design” (the implementation of ethical, legal, and societal values and principles from the conception to implementation stages of technology design) methodology, provides operational checks and balances for each value/principle in the form of questions, and outlines mitigations strategies for the same.

The 142-page report is structured into four chapters, which include an introduction into technology ethics and cross-cutting issues in the three technology families, and a deep-dive into each one. Some examples of the ethical issues unique to the different technologies include:

  • The impact of digital eXtended Reality on the values and principles of transparency, dignity, privacy, non-manipulation, and responsibility, as well as their relevance for the analysis of risk reduction, environmental impact, dual use and misuse, gender bias, and power and labour relations
  • The lack of human-like reasoning or understanding in NLP systems, spontaneous anthropomorphisation of chatbots, and the influence of artificial emotions on human users
  • The impact of neurotechnologies on the values and principles of autonomy, responsibility, privacy, risk reduction, and informed consent
  • The potential for less costly, but less effective climate engineering solutions to divert resources away from more sustainable, but more expensive initiatives
  • The potential for climate engineering to be more wasteful

Beyond the well-researched and in-depth analysis of the conceptual arguments, there are also helpful use cases and questions that stakeholders can ask when dealing with the ethics of the technologies in each family.

Analysis of international and EU law and policy applied to Digital eXtended Reality, Neurotechnologies, and Climate Engineering

In July 2022, following the analysis of the ethical dilemmas inherent to each technology family studied by TechEthos, a second draft report was published, which delved into the international and EU laws and policies for their relevance and applicability to Digital eXtended Reality, Neurotechnologies, and Climate Engineering. Although there is no dedicated EU or international law governing these three technology families, there do exist several legal frameworks that could be applied to them.

The report serves to review these legal domains and related obligations at international and EU levels, identifies the potential implications for fundamental rights and principles of democracy and rule of law, and reflects on issues and challenges of existing legal frameworks to address current and future implications of the technologies. The 242-page report covers human rights law, rules on state responsibility, environmental law, climate law, space law, law of the seas, and the law related to artificial intelligence (AI), digital services and data governance, among others as they apply to the three technology families.

The report was co-authored by Nicole Santiago, Ben Howkins, Julie Vinders, Rowena Rodrigues, and Zuzanna Warso from Trilateral Research (TRI), Michael Bernstein from the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, and Gustavo Gonzalez and Andrea Porcari from the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca Industriale (Airi). It aims to present an evidence base for the TechEthos project’s development of recommendations for policy and legal reform, and is currently being reviewed by the European Commission.

—————————————————————–

TechEthos is led by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and will be carried out by a team of ten scientific institutions and six science engagement organisations from 13 European countries over a three-year period. ALLEA is a partner in the consortium of this project and will contribute to enhancing existing legal and ethical frameworks, ensuring that TechEthos outputs are in line with and may complement future updates to The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.

European Science Organisations Reach Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment

/in , , , , /by

Following a six-month collaborative process involving more than 350 European organisations from over 40 countries, an Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment has been reached and made public today. ALLEA has contributed to the Agreement as part of a core group of 20 research organisations that supported the drafting team throughout the process.

The Agreement summarises a shared vision on how to reform assessment practices for researchers, research projects and research performing organisations, with overarching principles founded on quality, impact, diversity, inclusiveness, and collaboration.

The envisioned reforms are centred around the following four core commitments:

  1. Recognise the diversity of contributions to, and careers in, research in accordance with the needs and nature of the research
  2. Base research assessment primarily on qualitative evaluation for which peer review is central, supported by responsible use of quantitative indicators
  3. Abandon inappropriate uses in research assessment of journal- and publication-based metrics, in particular inappropriate uses of Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and h-index
  4. Avoid the use of rankings of research organisations in research assessment

Several additional supporting commitments aim to enable the move towards new research assessment criteria, tools and processes, and to facilitate mutual learning, communicate progress and ensure that new approaches are evidence informed. The Agreement further includes anticipated timeframes for implementing the reforms and evaluating progress and describes the operational structures for a coalition of organisations devoted to working together to implement the changes.

Next Steps

The collection of signatures to join the Coalition supporting the Agreement will be launched on 28 September 2022 at the EU Research and Innovation Days. A General Assembly of Coalition members will further decide on the governance of the Coalition, the strategy guiding the operations and activities of the Coalition as a whole, its annual work-plan and budget. The first General Assembly is expected to take place towards the end of this year.

As a European umbrella organisation of academies of sciences and humanities, ALLEA was able to provide an interdisciplinary perspective based on shared European academic values. ALLEA contributed to the Agreement through its Permanent Working Group on Science & Ethics and the Working Group European Research Area. Previously, ALLEA had also worked with the Global Young Academy on recommendations on the topic.

In a parallel endeavour, the Council of the European Union has recently adopted its Conclusions on Research Assessment and Implementation of Open Science. ALLEA welcomes the principles set out in the Conclusions for designing novel approaches to research assessment and emphasises that there is no “one-size-fits-all” format: any reforms should be driven by researchers taking responsibility for improving research assessment in their communities, following the core concept of self-regulation set out in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. (Read ALLEA’s full response here)

More information

  • The complete Agreement for Reforming Research Assessment can be found here, as well as an overview of frequently asked questions regarding the Agreement and the Coalition.
  • Further information on the drafting process and the actors involved can be found here.

The Global Young Academy Has Launched a Call for New Members

/in /by

The Global Young Academy (GYA) has launched a call for new members. The deadline for applications is 15 September, 18.00 (6 pm) UTC. Applications are sought from young, independent scholars who combine the highest level of research excellence with a demonstrated passion for delivering impact.

The call for applications encourages scholars from all backgrounds. You can read below some of the key criteria:

  • Research: The call is open to all scholars working in any research-based discipline, including the natural, physical and social sciences, as well as the arts and humanities.
  • Excellence: Applicants must be able to demonstrate a high level of excellence in their discipline, ascertained by a proven track record and expected future achievements. Moreover, applicants must demonstrate a clear commitment to making a difference in society. PhD or equivalent is a requirement for applicants.
  • Impact: The GYA is committed to a broad range of programmes around the world to support young scholars, promote science to a broad audience, engage in policy debate, and foster international and interdisciplinary collaboration. Applicants should provide evidence of interest or experience in one or more of these areas.
  • Age/career point: Applicants should be in the early to middle years of their independent careers, i.e. approximately 7 years from PhD and aged 30-40. Applicants falling outside these ranges are still invited to send their applications with a justification for why they should be considered.
  • Expectations: Each GYA member is expected to attend the GYA Annual General Meeting each year and is also expected to actively contribute to one or more of the organisation’s programmes, which include participation in policy development, promotion of National Young Academies, supporting science outreach and education at the national and international levels, and the young scientist ambassador programme. The GYA is an active organisation, and being a member requires a time commitment on each member’s part. In the event that applicants are selected as new GYA members, they should be available to attend the next Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled for 5 June – 9 June 2022 in Rwanda.

To learn more about the application process, visit this page.

About the Global Young Academy

The GYA develops, connects and mobilises young talent from six continents, and empowers young researchers to lead international, interdisciplinary and intergenerational dialogue. The GYA aims to elevate the voice of young scientists in evidence-informed and inclusive global, regional and national decision making.

ALLEA and the GYA started a strategic partnership in 2020 to capitalise on the diverse expertise and experience of both organisations.

Call for Applications for Ukrainian Academic Institutions Open

/in /by

ALLEA has launched a call for applications to support Ukrainian academic institutions affected by the war. The call is part of the second funding line of the European Fund for Displaced Scientists programme, supported by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. Applications must be submitted by 15 August 2022.

The aim of this funding is to support Ukrainian academic institutions in the continuation and/or reinstatement of their scientific operations and research collaborations, as well as to support initiatives that facilitate reintegration of researchers upon their return to Ukraine.

Applications are open for Ukrainian academic institutions (including universities, academies, and research institutes) that have been directly affected by the war. As a rule, the maximum amount applied for should not exceed €75,000 per institution.

The selection process is carried by an independent selection committee composed of senior officials from the following international, pan-European science institutions, representing universities, funding organisations, and individual researchers, including the European Research Council (ERC), European University Association (EUA), Global Young Academy (GYA), and Science Europe. The committee’s work is coordinated by ALLEA’s President.

To learn more about the application process of this second funding line, visit our dedicated webpage, where applicants can download the corresponding applications forms.

The second funding line follows up a separate, first call for applications launched on 25 May. The Funding Line 1 was set up to support academic institutions in Europe that are hosting Ukrainian scholars displaced by the war. This application process closed on 1 July.

Both funding lines are supported by $1.5 million donation provided by Breakthrough Prize Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing the world’s great scientists, advancing cutting-edge scientific research, and helping to create a knowledge culture in which everybody, especially the next generation, can be inspired by the big questions of science.

International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD) Opening Ceremony

/in , , /by

The International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD), celebrated in 2022, recognises that basic sciences are vital to attain sustainable development and to improve the quality of life for people all over the world.

At the Opening Ceremony, which will take place at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, and will be streamed online, Ministers in charge of Scientific Research, Higher Education and Innovation will debate with scientists about the importance of basic sciences in addressing the challenges set up by the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Read more