Research seminar by Ivar Maas from VU Amsterdam
Climate scientists have been warning about the consequences of global warming for many years. Still, political responses have often fallen short, leaving researchers in a difficult position: should they uphold traditional ideals of scientific neutrality, or step into the public domain as advocates and/or activists? While some scientists join movements such as Scientist Rebellion, others stress the importance of being detached from activism and politics. This tension raises questions such as: what drives scientists to adopt different stances, what underlying paradigms shape these choices, and what do these dynamics imply for the role of science in society?
During the seminar, we will explore these questions, and we will dive into scientific insights on environmental academic activism. After, I will present two ongoing studies from our work at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The first is a focus group study with faculty, academic activists, students, and staff reflecting on their views on activism in academia. The second is a survey study investigating how workplace environments (such as organisational culture) and personal factors (such as risk aversion and personality traits) influence the likelihood of scientists engaging in different kinds of activism. This way, I intend to provide a general introduction to the topic and a more in-depth perspective of current research. Since this research is still ongoing, and because it is about academia itself, I very much invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts during the seminar!
Ivar Maas is the Head of Sustainability at VU Amsterdam and is responsible for the implementation of the university's sustainability strategy. He leads a team working on a wide range of projects that aim to integrate sustainability in education, research, knowledge transfer, operations, and the community. Ivar is also a PhD candidate at the Institute for Environmental Studies at VU. His research centres around transforming universities for sustainability, and he aims to identify transformative pathways towards sustainability as an integral part of the university. His research focuses on topics such as academic activism, change management, and deliberative decision making.