Research Profile
Mr Simon Williams
Telephone:+44 (0) 29 208 70285
Address:Rm. 0.05, 54 Park Place, Cardiff.
Research Interests
The Public Understanding of Science (PUS):
PUS is used here as an umbrella term under which I would include my very broad research interests, which are at present all linked by the idea that ‘the public’ needs to understand ‘science’ and ‘science’ needs to understand the ‘public’. It is my own understanding of the multiple and complex ways in which various forms of scientific knowledge interact with various publics. Most of the themes below can be grouped under, or at least tied to, PUS.
Science, Technology and Risk:
My MSc dissertation was a sociological analysis of the science and policy surrounding pandemic influenza in the UK. For my PhD, substantively I am interested in debates concerning emerging technologies and risk (in particular wireless communication technologies and health). I do however have broader interests concerning the relationships between science, technology and innovation and health, risk and uncertainty.
PhD Topic/ Area
Public Participation in Science and Technology Policymaking:
My main focus here is on my Citizens’ POLIS method (see publications and projects page). This is an electronic public participation process which can be used both as a practical form of 'democratic decision-making', and as an empirical piece of research through which to study public participation as an academic subject pe se.
Supervisors
Links
The Citizens’ POLIS (Participatory On-Line Interactive System) project web pages