Marina Nicolaidou

Member of the Science Society and Sustainability (3S) research group

Associated with the UKERC Public Engagement  Observatory

BSc in Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia (2016-2019)

MSc in Environmental Sciences (3S pathway) at the University of East Anglia (2019-2020)

MRes in Social Science Research Methods at the University of East Anglia (2022-2023)

I am a Postgraduate Researcher at the School of Environmental Sciences and an early career Science and Technology Studies (STS) scholar. I am also a member of the Science Society and Sustainability (3S) research group, and associated with the UKERC Public Engagement Observatory.

My research is looking into the interconnected nature of technological future-making and appraisal, science fiction, and public participation and engagement. Specifically, I am engaged in experimental research regarding the development of a novel approach to participatory technology appraisal using science fiction in the case area of geoengineering.

My MSc thesis ‘Do Humans Dream of Electric Sheep?: An Alternative Appraisal of Technological Futures’ used the imagined future developed in Philip K. Dick’s novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ (and Blade Runner films) as a case to explore the co-production of science fiction, sociotechnical imaginaries, and informal public engagement.

My MRes thesis ‘Whose Fictions Matter?: Mapping Public Engagements with Geoengineering-related Science Fiction’ mapped science fiction texts and public engagements with these in order to establish the diverse imagined futures they bring forward and the ways in which these futures are appraised through five in-depth science fiction case studies: (1) the Snowpiercer vision; (2) the Dune vision; (3) the Geostorm vision; (4) the Disruption vision; and (5) the How High We Go in the Dark vision.

I am currently undertaking my PhD research supervised by Professor Jason Chilvers and Dr. Helen Pallett. I am also an Associate Tutor at the School of Environmental Sciences.

Creative and experimental approaches to future-making

Creative and responsible innovation, and anticipatory governance

Science fiction

Distributed appraisals in society

Public participation and engagement in future-making (formal and informal)

Emerging technologies

Sociotechnical visions

Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Co-production