Innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, new energy resources, and digital transitions in healthcare and safety, provide examples of developments that are often presented as solutions to current and future societal challenges. These developments raise questions such as: How do people react to and make sense of innovative technologies? How do new technologies shape the way people and organizations behave and interact? How do they reshape the public domain and policy directions? Technological developments ask for insights into the diverse changes and transitions across many levels, from individual behaviors to organizational processes and social policies. As new technologies also have unforeseen, unintended, or uncontrollable outcomes, we need insight into when they contribute to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities and when they are counterproductive. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach is needed to better understand how innovative technologies facilitate or work against societal transitions and behavior change across time. As part of the Sector Plans in Social Sciences and Humanities, we offer 4 new talented colleagues an exciting opportunity for co-developing such an approach.
Each colleague will be appointed in one of the four sections of the Department of Human and Institutional Behavior. These are Communication Science; Psychology, Health & Technology; Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety; and Public Administration. Across the sections, you will work closely together as a team to create impact in research, education, and society in this exciting field. You can bring in your own interests and expertise but as a group you will develop a multidisciplinary research line on technological developments in relation to societal transitions and behavior change. As a teacher you will contribute to modules in bachelor and master programs of Psychology, Communication science, and Public administration. You will outline research topics for Bachelor and Master theses that you will supervise. To create societal impact, you will develop strong collaborations with stakeholders in the field.
The Department of Human and Institutional Behavior at the University of Twente provides many opportunities to develop your talents as researcher and teacher. Clearly rooted in disciplinary expertise in psychology, communication science, and public administration, the department aims to integrate individual, (inter)organizational, institutional, and societal perspectives on technologies of societal transitions and behavior change. We invest in professionals and academics of the future through our bachelor and master programs of psychology, communication science, and public administration as well as in post-master life-long learning activities. To create scientific impact, there is strong collaboration across the faculty and the university in interdisciplinary research domains.
To create societal impact we closely work together with citizens, professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, and policy makers in designing, evaluating, and implementing comprehensive technology-based solutions that support behavior change and societal transitions towards inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities. Last but not least, the facilities of the BMS Lab and the Design Lab provide innovative technological support for our research, teaching, and societal collaboration.
Information and application
For more general information please contact prof. dr. (Ernst) Bohlmeijer, chair of the HIB-department: e.t.bohlmeijer@utwente.nl; tel. 053-4894470. For information related to specific disciplines and sections please contact prof. dr. (Alexander) Van Deursen, a.j.a.m.vandeursen@utwente.nl, tel. 053-4893299 (communication science); dr. (Ringo) Ossewaarde, m.r.r.ossewaarde@utwente.nl, tel. 053-4893215 (public administration), prof. dr. (Gerben) Westerhof g.j.westerhof@utwente.nl, 053-4899180 (psychology, health & technology) or dr. (Sven) Zebel, s.zebel@utwente.nl, 053-4893260 (psychology of conflict, risk and safety).
Submit your application (including curriculum vitae, list of publications, research statement and two names of potential references online (via the ‘Apply now’ button) before 2th of October, 2023 to the University of Twente, at the attention of prof. dr. E.T. Bohlmeijer.
About the department
The HIB-department is one of four departments at the faculty. The department is committed to design, evaluation and implementation of and teaching about comprehensive technology-based solutions supporting people in behaviour that promotes their health, safety, resilience, connectedness and joy. The HIB-department comprises research groups of Communication Science; Psychology, Health & Technology; Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety; and Public Administration – in one of which you will be appointed. For more information on these groups, see: https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/organization/departments-institutes/#department-clusters
About the organisation
The Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social sciences (BMS) aims to play a key role in understanding, jointly developing and evaluating innovations in society. Technological developments are the engine of innovation. As a technical university that puts people first, we tailor them to human needs and behavior and use social engineering to integrate them into society. We also ensure adequate governance at public and private level, and robust, inclusive and fair organizational structures. We do this by developing, sharing and applying high-quality knowledge in Psychology, Business Administration, Public Administration, Communication Sciences, Philosophy, Educational Sciences and Health Sciences. Our research and education in these disciplines revolves around tackling and solving societal challenges. The research programs of BMS are closely linked to the research of the UT institutes Mesa+ Institute for Nanotechnology, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.
As an employer, the Faculty of BMS offers work that matters. We equip you to create new possibilities for yourself and for our society. With us, you will become part of a leading technical university with increasing, positive social impact. We offer an open, inclusive and entrepreneurial atmosphere, in which we encourage you to make healthy choices, for example through our flexible, adaptable benefits.
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