RRI Tools

NANO2ALL was an initiative funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme. It supported the establishment of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) policy and governance on nanotechnologies.

One of the mains aims of the project was to identify RRI practices, with a focus on societal engagement in nanotechnology R&I across Europe and beyond, with the purpose to share knowledge, experience, and recommendations with other nanotechnology stakeholders and motivate a wider application of such mechanisms in our region. 

Collected practices are:

• Nanodialogue - This short report provides brief insights into the Nanodialogue on land remediation using nano-particles, one of four dialogues held as an experiment in upstream public engagement with nanotechnology funded by the British government’s Office of Science and Innovation and conducted from January 2006 through January 2007 by the British think tank Demos.
• Futurescape City Tours - This brief report provides insights into the Futurescape City Tours, a societal engagement practice developed by the Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS) at Arizona State University (ASU). It describes the role of the centre and its early experiences with public engagement on nanotechnology before delving into the methodology specific to the Futurescape City Tours
• Nanocube - This report briefly defines the RRI concept in the context of NANOCUBE, describes the stakeholder engagement process as it was implemented within NANOCUBE and presents recommendations towards other actors interested to implement similar activities.
• NanoTrust - This short report provides brief insights into the nanosafety project NanoTrust that is dedicated to assist policy-makers in issues surrounding the safety of nano applications. Its aim is to support the establishment and maintenance of a governance network and to take a more active role in contributing to pre-emptive risk management and the initiation of new governance processes.
• NANOPLAT - This short report provides brief insights into the NANOPLAT (Development of a Platform for Deliberative Processes on Nanotechnology in the European Consumer Market) support action, whose main objectives was to evaluate selected deliberative processes in Europe and develop a deliberate and science-based platform for a stakeholder dialogue for research and political actions.
• UNITAR’s Nanotechnology Workshops - This report analyses the role of societal engagement in a series of regional workshops on nanosafety organised in Latin America with the support of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research 
• NanoDiode - This report provides brief insights into the NanoDiode project (Developing Innovative Outreach and Dialogue on responsible nanotechnologies in EU civil society), funded under Framework Programme 7 (FP7).
• Nano2All Multistakeholder Dialogues - This report provides brief insights into the NANO2ALL Multi-stakeholder Dialogue organised at national and European level where participants discussed how societal values, needs and concerns can be better reflected in nanotechnology research and innovation.
• Technology of imagination: a card-based public engagement method for debating emerging technologies - This short overview of a scientific paper provides practical insights into the design of IMAGINE, a qualitative research method that also aims to encourage societal engagement with science and emerging technologies (Felt, Schumann, Schwarz & Strassnig, 2014)
• NanoRESP - This short report provides brief insights into the NanoRESP Forum, a multi-actor dialogue forum fostering practices of responsible innovation. Data for this report was gathered via desk research and a structured interview with Doroth'e Browaeys, founder and coordinator of NanoRESP.
• Societal Incubator for Nanotechnologies of the Rathenau Instituut - This short report provides brief insights into the Societal Incubator for Nanotechnologies initiative of the Rathenau Instituut, which comprised the development of the concept and a short experimentation of it. The description also touches upon the benefits and objectives of developing a societal incubator. Finally, it presents the structure and operationalisation of the societal incubator as well as findings and recommendations. Data for this report was gathered via desk research and a structured interview with Dirk Stemerding, a former Senior Researcher of the Rathenau Instituut.
• Dutch Societal Dialogue on Nanotechnology - This short report provides brief insights into the Dutch Societal Dialogue on Nanotechnology that took place from March 2009 until January 2011. It explains the societal dialogue design and process, and briefly summarises some of its findings.
• Dialogforum Nano of BASF - This short report provides brief insights into an inspiring societal engagement practice. The Dialogforum Nano comprised a series of face-to-face dialogue sessions on nanotechnology, initiated by the chemical company, BASF. The description also touches upon how responsible research and innovation (RRI) is present within BASF and the motivations driving societal engagement. Finally, it presents BASF's short recommendations on these aspects and points out existing needs for increased societal engagement practices in research and innovation.
• Citizens meet experts - BMBF - This short report presents societal engagement practice which brings together citizens and experts to discuss Research and Innovation (R&I) in Nanotechnology in Germany. The practice is implemented by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It describes the contribution of BMBF in R&I in Nanotechnology and explains how it fosters RRI. In addition, it summarises the main aspects of the societal engagement practice.