The aim of the Paris Risk Group annual workshops is to foster the use of social sciences in government agencies with responsibility for risk assessment and the consideration of social science evidence to inform risk management. The workshops help to share and extend knowledge, experiences and best practices in areas of common interest and to strengthen an international network of social scientists working in risk agencies.
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PRG 2015 workshop - program and registration
Presentation
In January 2013 the Paris Risk Group (PRG), a network of social scientists working in or with risk agencies on food, environment, public and occupational health and consumer safety across Europe and beyond, held its first workshop.
In 2015, the third annual workshop of the PRG will be held. It will be hosted by and at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment on June 18th and 19th, 2015 in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. It will gather about 45 participants from different countries (mainly EU) involved in risk assessment and/or risk management activities.
The overall theme of the workshop is ‘Evidence based innovation, the quality of information and its use in risk assessment and risk management’.
Innovation is considered an important tool for governments and institutions to drive economic growth, create jobs, build a green society and improve quality of life: we innovate because we can (technically possible) or have to (budgets down) or want to (ambitious aims). Risk agencies are called upon to provide scientific evidence regarding the consequences of innovation. In that context, social sciences, by providing additional types of knowledge, beyond the “natural sciences”, can make a specific contribution. Social sciences can offer insights on adapting the risk analysis process to the more complex, ambiguous and uncertain issues at stake with innovation. Social sciences can help to shed light on critical points of expert appraisal, the procedures for selecting and validating knowledge or the effects of disciplinary framing, thereby improving the transparency and the rigor of the assessments. Social sciences can provide a better understanding of the behaviour and the positioning of stakeholders. They also provide analysis of societal concerns surrounding environment and public health issues in relation to innovations considered, improving the relevance and the comprehensiveness of recommendations on regulatory measures, on their impacts and other solutions. Thereby, with ‘evidence based innovation’ we mean that the empirically founded contribution from the social sciences can improve the risk information and risk assessments carried out in the context of development of innovative technologies and new products put on the market.
Preliminary program and invitation letter
The preliminary program and the invitation letter are now available to download.
The program is now available to download.
Registration information
Registration is now opened to network members.
Unfortunately, there is no funding available to help with travel costs or other expenses. We can however, provide details of hotels. Refreshments and lunch will be provided on both days. On the first day, in the evening, we will have a meal together.
To register, please use the following link, click or copy it in your browser and fill in the registration form that follows : https://www.formdesk.com/rivm/registration-form-PRG-3
Contact
Please do contact the organizers if you require further information: paris.risk.group@project.healthandsafety.nl