This chapter focuses on some of the many intriguing themes in science, technology, and innovation studies. As has been noted in the introduction, this chapter can be used as a topical entry to the STI studies in this guide. It is by no means an exhaustive list of the subjects studied and taught in the European STI centres, as will be clear for everyone who has browsed through the preceding pages.
The main goal of the chapter is to show what kind of problems are tackled in STI studies and to provide a window on the variety of ways in which science, technology, and innovation can be studied meaningfully. This is especially relevant since the field of STI remains a dynamic field where new combinations of insights are appearing continuously. In each of areas listed, only a set of snapshots of the field could be provided. Soon new projects and research lines will emerge, although the theoretical substance of many a project will remain.
Moreover, instead of trying to be as complete as possible within every problem area, the chapter exemplifies one project in every area, carried out at one of the European STI centres. Of course, the same topic will often be addressed at a number of sister institutions. To enable the reader to quickly check these other centres, each section lists an index of these centres at the bottom. The chosen examples do not mean that they would be more interesting than those not chosen: more often than not a choice had to be made out of equally interesting projects.
This means that the various centres are grouped according to their research profile and their academic specialties. This does not preclude them from being active in other domains as well, of course. Indeed, many STI centres have a surprisingly wide area of interest and research initiatives. The index lists do not pretend to be more than a listing of the most characteristic activities of the various centres. The chapter is also aimed at stimulating the readers to contact the centres themselves, take a look at their homepages, and delve somewhat deeper in the issues than can possibly be covered in an overall guide like this. After all, nothing beats self-study.