About subject area content
About
About content
Innovations in science, medicine and technology permeate all aspects of our lives: from the way we interact with each other and our environment, to the impacts on our health, and how we understand our place in society.
Perhaps now more than ever we are being affected by developments in climate change and the environment, biomedical advances in areas such as synthetic biology and pharmaceuticals, and increasing reliance on algorithms and 'big data'.
We offer a unique interdisciplinary environment in which we address vital questions about the world we live in.
Our teaching
We offer a diverse and innovative range of postgraduate taught and research opportunities, exploring how science and technology changes the world. We also offer a large number of fascinating courses for undergraduate degree.
Our research
Our work has a significant impact on how society and social institutions understand and responds to a rapidly changing world. Across the research clusters in STIS, our academics are producing interdisciplinary research, identifying research opportunities and exploring solutions to issues resulting from new technologies and scientific innovations.
Over 80% of our impact case studies were deemed to be world-leading or internationally excellent. (REF 2021)
As both a teaching and research group, our students and staff work within the following five broad themes:
- Our key five themes
Wider connections
Our research is interdisciplinary, with connections and partnerships across our academic areas of expertise. The Science, Technology and Innovation Studies subject area hosts a virtual research institute - the Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation (ISSTI). ISSTI brings together groups from across the University of Edinburgh involved in research, teaching and knowledge transfer on social and policy aspects of science, technology and innovation.
Our history
Established in 1966 by the late David Edge (1932 - 2003), the Science Studies Unit was originally formed within the University of Edinburgh Faculty as an inter-disciplinary body that encompassed philosophy, history and sociology.
Originally part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Science Studies Unit moved into the Faculty of Social Sciences within the University of Edinburgh in 1992, and has been part of the School of Social and Political Studies since 2001. It now stands as a core research group within the Science Technology and Innovation Subject area at SPS.
Further information can be found on the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) website: