The Vienna Science Studies Laboratory is a Vienna-based group of multi-disciplinary researchers interested in the diverse topics and issues of science, technology, and medicine studies. The Lab hosts a reading group currently focused on feminist STS, giving participants the possibility to share ideas on crucial topics of philosophy of science, philosophy of mind and STS. In their first meeting, the group discussed Sara Giordano’s 'Feminist Science for the People: Feminist Approaches to Public Understanding of Science and Science Il/literacy'. In the second meeting the dialogue was centered around 'Embodiments of Sex and Gender: The Metaphors of Speaking Surfaces' by Gabrielle Benette Jackson. Recently the group held its third meeting at the KLI, elaborating on Max Liboiron’s 'Pollution is Colonialism'. For co-organizer Laura Menatti the Lab is a great occasion to meet new scholars in a constructive way and based on feminist and inclusive values: “I was very proud to introduce in the last meeting of 2023 the book by Max Liboiron 'Pollution is Colonialism' (2021) as it allowed us to think, reflect and reconsider science, scientific practices and methods as intertwined with the ethical and environmental recognition of the Land, nature and landscape(s)”. The reading group will continue and is open to everyone interested. Details and dates are publicly announced.

In addition to the reading group, the Lab hosts a work in progress lab, which facilitates an environment for friendly critical discussions to improve on-going work. In this format either a student or a faculty member presents some of their work in progress and gets constructive feedback from the other participants of the lab. These are small meetings consisting of 5-10 members of the local community invited to share their thoughts. Additionally, it supports early academics to get a sense of what a professional work in progress looks like.

The Vienna Science Studies Lab is an intra-institution initiative hosted by the Konrad Lorenz Institute (KLI), the UPSalon (University of Vienna), and the Epistemology of the In/human Project at Central European University (CEU). It is currently organized by Laura Menatti (KLI), Sophie Veigl (University of Vienna), Stephania Donayre Pimentel (CEU) and Maria Fedorova (CEU). 

More information and dates will be announced soon!

Homepage: https://sciencestudieslab.wordpress.com/