Research

Research Focus

• Environmental decision making in complex socio-technical systems, esp. institutional, regulatory and long-term aspects
• Concepts of robustness, resilience, and vulnerability in the context of long-term governance of environmental issues
• Stakeholder involvement and inclusive expertise in complex and contentious systems (Td Lab)
• Safety management: safety culture, safety indicators, knowledge management
• Harmonisation of risk-based decision making
• Fields of application: conventional toxic waste, radioactive waste, nuclear safety, industrial safety, land-use planning; energy policy; research policy

Current

2010-2012

Proposals for social-science energy research, carrying on the ASRELEO project (see below) Publication

2009

Flüeler, T. (2009): Emerging technologies – Some reflections on the governance of energy and ICTs. COST Foresight 2030 Workshops on Information and Communication Technologies, Brugge/Bruges, 30 June–2 July 2009. COST Workshops

Girod, B. & T. Flüeler (2009): "Future IPCC scenarios – lessons learned and challenges to scenario building in climate change policy", The International Energy Workshop, IEW 2009, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Jun 17-19 Programme

Flüeler, T., P. Krütli, M. Stauffacher, A. Wiek, R.W. Scholz (2009): Lessons from the (non-)governance of complex and contested socio-technical issues: the Swiss Wellenberg case of a radioactive waste repository. Nordic Environmental Social Sciences 2009, London, 10-12 June 2009, Working Group 4: Nuclear politics, policy and planning. Programme

2008

Aartsma, T., Aro, E.-M., Barber, J., Bassani, D., Cogdell, R., Flüeler, T., de Groot, H., Holzwarth, A., Kruse, O., Rutherford, A. W. (2008): Harnessing solar energy for the production of clean fuel. ESF Science Policy Briefing, 34. European Science Foundation (ESF). Setting science agendas for Europe. Sep 2008. 12 pp. »»

"Globale Herausforderungen im Energiebereich: Impuls für eine sozialwissenschaftliche Energieforschung", Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS), Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, 17.1.2008 »» Presentation (in German)

2007

"ASRELEO: Agenda for Social-Science Research on Long-term Energy Options" (Invited presentation, together with D.L. Goldblatt, J. Minsch & D. Spreng), The International Energy Workshop, IEW 2007, Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA, Jun 25–27 »» Programme »» Report

"Energy forecasts in search of today’s society – some insights from social science to bridge the gap", The International Energy Workshop, IEW 2007, Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA, Jun 25–27 »» Presentation Flüeler

Invited presentation: "Clean solar fuels and social embedding of novel technology", ESF INIF Workshop on Clean Solar Fuels: Scientific perspectives and their impacts on society and the global energy market, Parsberg, Germany, Mar 11–14, European Science Foundation (ESF), Interdisciplinary New Initiatives Fund (INIF) »» White Paper »» ESF Task Force

Invited presentation on key decision points in a staged process, Discussion with overseas stakeholders: Implementing “Managing radioactive waste safely in the United Kingdom”, CoRWM advice to Government on Communities and Volunteering; Partnerships and Packages; Staged decision making, London, Feb 27–28 »» More information »» Presentation

Co-initiation and participation: ESF Exploratory Workshop on Transdisciplinary Review of a Proposed Agenda for Social Science Research Related to Long-Term Energy Options, Zurich, Switzerland, Feb 1–2, European Science Foundation (ESF) Standing Committee for Social Sciences (SCSS) »» Workshop »» ASRELEO Final report

COWAM 2 (2007): Decision-making processes in radioactive waste governance. Insights and recommendations. Work Package 3 "Quality of decision-making processes". »» Final report

2006–2007

Collaboration in the concept and implementation of the IED-NSSI Case study on decision-making processes at the (failed) proposed site Wellenberg for a radioactive waste repository (»» More information) and the project "Wege in eine Allianz der Verantwortung" ("Pathways to an alliance of responsibility") (»» More information)

Award granted by the Canadian Faculty Research Program: Appraisal of the Canadian (NWMO's) attempt to trigger a societal discourse on radioactive waste options and governance in view of other countries’ recent approaches (process-based evaluation)

Flüeler, T., P. Krütli & M. Stauffacher (2005/2006): Tools for local stakeholders in radioactive waste governance: Challenges and benefits of selected Participatory Technology Assessment techniques. »» Report for WP 1. Jan 2005 »» COWAM 2, final reports

2005

Principal Investigator in the project "Agenda for Social Science Research Related to Long-term Energy Options (ASRELEO)" of the Centre for Energy Policy and Economics (CEPE) at ETH: in search of an integrated research agenda for long-term energy-environment options. »» CEPE: Spreng/Jochem (»» Description); »» ASRELEO Final report
Award granted: 2006 Exploratory Workshop by the European Science Foundation for 2007 (»» ESF)

2002–2007

Project "Fusion and the public opinion" of the Centre for Energy Policy and Economics (CEPE) at ETH: risk and novelty of energy technologies and their perception of (long-term) energy scenarios, Socio-Economic Studies on Fusion (SERF3), European ITER Site Study (International Energy Agency, IEA, European Fusion Development Agreement, EFDA). »» More information »» Presentation

Flüeler, T. (2005): Proposed framework for decision-making processes. »» Paper for WP 3 »» COWAM 2, final reports

2002

Senior Research Associate at the Chair of Environmental Sciences: Natural and Social Science Interface, ETH Zurich, Environmental Decision Making: Cognition and Values Group, from 2005: Transdisciplinary Research Lab »»

Supervision of Doctorate and Master projects:

• Stefan Zemp (2005): Evaluation of transdisciplinary research projects. Exemplified with an interim analysis of "Community Waste Management 2" (COWAM 2), a pioneering project on stakeholder involvement in radioactive waste governance of the European Sixth Framework Programme. Diploma thesis at NSSI, no. 32/04. Jan 2005. ETH Zurich »»
• Pius Krütli (2010): Procedural and distributional equity criteria in radioactive waste management (Ph. D. thesis) »» Abstract

With regard to semester theses: »»

Contact: Thomas Flüeler

Completed

2003–2006

European Commission DG RTD project COWAM (Community Waste Management) 2 with the aim of improving the decision-making process related to nuclear waste management facility siting, under the 6^th Framework Programme of the European Union: Consortium Partner for UNS/ETH, Work Package Leader of WP3 "Quality of Decision-Making Processes", and Expert Resource Person in other fields for more information go to Governance of Radioactive Waste (COWAM 2) and COWAM 2, final reports

2005

SCK·CEN Workshop "Nuclear waste management and the social scope of its decision making", Ghent, Belgium, Sep 16, An external reviewer's comment on Gunter Bombaert's dissertation, esp. his philosophical view of positionism. »» More information »» More information »» PhD thesis G. Bombaerts

Reviewer for the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) with regard to technical safety issues. »» More information at BfS
Akzeptanz, Akzeptabilität oder Tolerabilität? Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung «Akzeptanz durch Partizipation? Einbezug Betroffener bei umstrittenen Grossprojekten am Beispiel der Entsorgung radioaktiver Abfälle». Bundesamt für Energie (BfE) und Forum VERA, Bern, 29.6.2005. »» Event »» Bulletin Forum VERA 02.05 »» Conference report for ITAS (German, »» pdf, »» html)

2004–2005

Initiation and organisation of an Invited Session at PISTA '05: "Long-term knowledge generation and transfer in environmental issues - a start of intergenerational informatics?" International Conference on Politics and Information Systems: Technologies and Applications (PISTA '05). Orlando, Florida, Jul 14–17, 2005. Member of the Organizing Committee. »»

Expert to the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Commission (KSA) in the evaluation of performance assessments for radioactive waste »» KSA (in German)

2004

Thomas Flüeler (2006): Von der Fachöffentlichkeit zum öffentlichen Diskurs. Schweizer Erfahrungen und Ansätze zu einem erweiterten Entscheidungsmodell. ITAS-Workshop «Zur Endlagerung radioaktiver Abfälle in Deutschland. Perspektiven für eine sozialwissenschaftliche Begleitforschung». Karlsruhe, 28./29.10.2004. Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) im Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. »»

Invitation by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) to participate in the development of "Fundamentals for safe disposal" of radioactive waste ("Grundsätze für die sichere Endlagerung. Die Sicherheitsphilosophe des Bundesamtes für Strahlenschutz").

2000–2004

Research project "Role and Culture of Nuclear Experts", Nuclear Research Centre SCK·CEN, Mol (B): expert, reviewer »» More information »» PhD thesis G. Bombaerts

2000–2003

European Commission DG RTD project COWAM (Community Waste Management) European Concerted Action with the aim of improving the decision-making process related to nuclear waste management facility siting »» Details

2000–2002

Research project "Transgenerational Ethics and High-Level Radioactive Waste", Nuclear Research Centre SCK·CEN, Mol (B): expert, reviewer »» Report 1 »» Report 2 »» More information

1999–2000

Concept, preparation and management of a "Mutual Learning Session" on radioactive waste at the International Transdisciplinarity Conference 2000, Feb 28 - Mar 1, Zurich »» www.transdiscilplinarity.ch »» Details

1997–1999

Swiss National Science Foundation Project no. 1113-52163.97 "Risk Based Regulation - A Suitable Concept for Safety Regulation?", responsible for the case study on waste, waste principles, and conventional toxic waste/contaminated sites »» Details: SNF database »» Purchase book »» Lessons learnt »» Summary (in German)

1994–1995

Working Group on "Concept of probability and its utilization in risk assessment" of the so-called "Polyproject" "Risk and Safety of Technical Systems" at ETH Zurich

For more information »» Publications