As new professor of responsible technology Maja Horst is looking forward to dialogue with both researchers and students about technology and innovation in a cultural and human perspective.
‘DTU creates and exploits technology for people, and ethics are nothing new at the University. However, research is now being strengthened in this area with DTU Management’s appointment of Maja Horst as professor of responsible technology and innovation.
Maja comes from a position as head of department and professor of research communication at University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and is educated in the field of social sciences and communication. She holds a PhD in Science Communication from the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) Panum Institute and CBS, where she dealt with the public debate on biotechnology and examined why it is gives rise to such intense debate. She is generally interested in why some people think that research is the solution to society’s problems—while others believe that a large part of society’s problems derive from research.
“I think DTU’s focus on technology, people, and sustainability is really exciting and I’m really looking forward to getting to know the researchers working with technology development. I imagine I can learn a great deal and I also hope that I can ask relevant questions and promote new dialogue. My knowledge is best used when it interplays with concrete processes—in this case the development and implementation of technology,” she says.
Room for conversation and reflection
A key task for the new professor will be to teach Philosophy of Science in Engineering. It is a course that binds all of DTU together, and Maja is committed to drawing on knowledge from many different departments in the classroom. It is precisely in the interplay between deep technical knowledge and a social scientist like herself that ethical considerations come to the fore.
“It is very important to emphasize that it’s not up to me to decide whether something is responsible or not. In my opinion, technology can not in itself be responsible—or not. It is always a question of the context in which the technology is incorporated. It is about constantly striving to do the best possible,” she says and continues:
"In Denmark, we can see ourselves as a great sandbox for sustainable technological development for the whole world. And in this context, DTU is a leading force."
Maja Horst, Professor, DTU Management
“In Denmark, we have a great opportunity to be a leader in developing a technology that works for people. We find it easy to talk to each other, and we have a high degree of equality, cohesion, and education in our society. So I think we can see ourselves as a great sandbox for sustainable technological development for the whole world. And in this context, DTU is a leading force.”
Engineering oath
There is currently a lot of talk about introducing an engineering oath in line with the Hippocratic oath of doctors. Maja could easily imagine such an oath, but she does not think the ritual itself is enough.
“Rarely are you faced with a clear and unambiguous choice between good and bad. The ethical principles can easily come into conflict with one another, and then perhaps it’s a question of finding the least bad solution. Very few people actually choose bad, and in such cases, an oath won’t help either.”
“It might be nice to finish off the study programme with an oath, but it shouldn’t be a bolt from the blue. We need to make sure that we integrate the conversation about what is good and bad at all levels in all education, so it will be natural to stop, consider, and discuss the consequences of what you are doing. The students I’ve met are actually very interested in this. Most people who study engineering want to make the world a better place.”
Social responsibility
Maja Horst has had a major impact on the social debate on technology, communication, and ethics. For two periods, she has been a member of the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy which is currently investigating whether Denmark needs a technology policy.
“How do we ensure that we end up with the technology we need—don’t throw out technological solutions because we are scared, but at the same time don’t include things that we don’t want?” she explains.
On the first of January, she will join the board of directors of the Independent Research Fund Denmark, and she is also a member of the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV). ATV has as its mission to make Denmark one of the leading science and engineering regions in the world, and members travel to countries such as China and India to look at how they work with technology and sustainability—and how Denmark can exchange with them on this agenda.
Maja has also published several books, most recently a book entitled ‘Hvad vil vi med universiteterne’ (What’s the purpose of the universities), which she co-wrote with her husband, who is a professor at CBS. In short, they advocate that universities should be a knowledge-based transformational force in society. The university must both help to develop society for the better while keeping a firm eye on the truth.
She certainly will not rule out that there may be a book on technology sometime in the future. However, the most important thing right now is to get the conversation rolling with students and researchers at DTU:
“I feel like working with anyone who wants to work with me. I think that all technology is exciting because it is something that must work in society,” she concludes.