DSTG to call for R&D proposals on Socio-Technical Futures Analysis

The Defence Science & Technology Group (DSTG) is calling for Expressions of Interest by companies and institutions conducting R&D projects aligned with its Socio-Technical Futures Analysis program. Expressions of interest are due no later than 30 September 2022.

DSTG has recently established a dedicated Socio-Technical Futures Analysis effort to contribute to its Critical Technology Foresight capability in collaboration with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Critical Technology Policy Coordination Office (CTPCO), specifically focused on assessment of the societal implications of emerging and potentially disruptive technologies.

This new effort aims to broaden DSTG’s science and technology and:

• Improve future preparedness and limit strategic surprise by ensuring that defendable social-scientific techniques are applied to critical technology foresight and impact assessment.
• Enable enhanced strategic direction and inform Australian Defence Organisation decision-making
• Inculcate a broader awareness of the role of socio-technical analysis within Defence
• Empower and enrich Government narrative on critical technologies by enabling collaboration with domestic and international partners in the development and improvement of socially inspired tools, techniques and methods for technology foresight and impact assessment.

To support this effort, DSTG anticipates operating a modestly funded targeted research and publication scheme in the current and forward financial years with a view toward funding externally publishable socio-technical research on a number of priority research areas.

Initially, there may be a preference for work that expands Defence capability to understand socio-technical outcomes at a general or technology-cluster level over work over that is limited to specific technologies.

Questions and responses (Subject line: STFA APPLICATION) can be submitted to:

Hon. A/Professor Jai Galliott
Socio-Technical Futures Analysis Discipline Leader
Critical Technology Foresight
Strategy and Joint Force
Human & Decision Sciences Division

Email: Jai.Galliott1@defence.gov.au