PhD Candidate, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University (NL)
Biography
Nidhi Gupta is a PhD candidate at the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University in the Netherlands. She has a master degree in Natural Resources from TERI University, India. Her PhD research focuses on the societal response to nanotechnology. The research aims at understanding the socio-psychological determinants of societal acceptance of nanotechnology by incorporating views and insights from all the relevant stakeholder groups involved in the nanotechnology debate. Her research contributesto the development of nanotechnology applications that take due account of societal issues. She has recently published an open access review paper outlining the status quo of different socio-psychological determinants of new technologies in Public Understanding of Science.
Abstract
Determinants Influencing Societal Uptake of Nanotechnology: An Expert Stakeholder Analysis
Emerging applications of nanotechnology have the potential to deliver novel applications across different sectors and influence society. As seen for many new technologies in the past, societal responses to these technologies play crucial in determining the success or failure of these technologies.Therefore it becomes important to understand the potential determinants of societal acceptance or rejection of nanotechnology.In this presentation an overview of potential factors determining the societal uptake of nanotechnology will be given, based on structured interviews with experts drawn from scientists, policy makers, representatives of industry and consumer representatives in North West Europe (Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, UK and Ireland). Expert opinions were collected for 15 different applications of nanotechnology (from medicine, agriculture and environment, chemical, food, military, sports, cosmetics). A variety of risks and benefits associated with these applications were found to be important factors influencing societal uptake of nanotechnology. In addition certain applications were seen as “nice to have” applications while others were considered more relevant to solving societal problems. The results presented here can contribute in making future comparisons between experts and public view on societal acceptance of nanotechnology.
