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The Belgian nuclear research centre started six years ago the structured Programme of Integration of Social Aspects in nuclear science and technology (PISA). The objective was to complete scientific insight and objectivity with the aid of different disciplines. PhD and post-doc projects with universities allowed to organise support of young researchers in social sciences. The study of social interaction enlarged the technical scope.
PISA is an experiment in second mode science, an attempt of multi level transdisciplinary integration of soft and hard sciences. Involved disciplines are environmental and health sciences, law, philosophy, sociology, political sciences, communication, psychology and history. The targeted core activities of SCK•CEN safety and risk management, nuclear waste management(NWM) and radiation protection. The approach is problem oriented, focuses present science-society challenges such as precaution and governance.
Results of projects are discussed. They concern long term sustainability of nuclear energy up to public involvement in fusion, transgenerational ethics in NWM, influence of group think on experts, liability law and ALARA in radiation protection, ethics in expert culture, measurement and interpretation of risk perception.
In order to stimulate discipline interactions a concept of reflection groups was set up to discuss ethical choices in radiation protection, expert culture and public involvement. Interested SCK•CEN scientists from different levels and divisions dialogue with academic, industrial and governmental actors. Recent events took place in universities on ICRP 2005 draft and nuclear terrorism.
An evaluation of the PISA programme indicates a need to focus activities and to create synthesis documents on core issues in safety. A matrix structure is put forward.
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