- In general: Different from the uni-everyday-norm. The words belong to Henrik Gangsø, who now joins the new course named «Innovation in Energy Technologies»
Gangsø is one of six master students from the program Renewable Energy Systems, enjoying the 5 credit course option. The course is interdisciplinary, at the intersection of technical and social fields of knowledge. And it is a collaboration between the Department of Technology Systems (UiO) and Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIC, UiO), supported by seeds funding from UiO:Energy.
-Needs and technologies evolve in a fast pace
The lecturers in the course are Professor Taran Thune, Associate Professor Markus Bugge, and Professor Sabrina Sartori. Sartori who is also section leader and responsible for the master program “Renewable energy systems” at the Department of Technology Systems, UiO, has this to say about the aspect of innovation related to energy systems:
-Especially in the field of energy systems, needs and technologies evolve in such a fast pace that the challenges of tomorrow can be difficult to predict. By developing the students critical thinking and analytical approach, the students of this course explore what innovation means and how energy systems and technologies can adapt to unpredictable future needs. With this course we want to stimulate an interdisciplinary mindset in our students through reflection around real cases, collaborative problem-solving, and acquisition of analytical and methodological skills on how to implement interdisciplinary perspectives to foster innovation.
Professional guest lecturers throughout the course
Various guest lecturers have given perspectives from academic and industrial worlds, and at their intersection. A great motivation for the learning outcome during these weeks, the students conclude. They have been exposed to specific cases, presented by guests of high calibre from the academic world who have been successful in developing their basic research into commercial products, and experts in innovation and from industry.
Media coverage by CNN, BBC and Washington Post
- As an example, one guest has been Prof. Takao Someya from the University of Tokyo, whose research on wearable electronic skin, flexible organic electronics and solar cells has been featured on more than 500 media coverage including those by CNN, BBC, Washington Post, and New York Times. His electronic skin was featured on the cover of the November 21st issue of Time Magazine as one of the “Best Inventions of 2005”. Having established two startups, Someya highlighted the importance of the social aspect of innovations, where new ideas and product allows us to change the way we do things, says Sartori. Adding:
-We also had a visit by Professor Truls Norby from the University of Oslo - founder of four companies and recipient of the Innovation prize of UiO 2012. He discussed with the students about the challenges and the process from materials development in an academic lab to a scaled-up product, and about collaborative research with companies. He stressed something we are learning in the course, about innovation being the result of networks, and that diverse knowledge and skills enhance collective creativity.
Kjeller Innovation present
A third guest lecturer was Kristina Đurkić from the tech company Kjeller Innovasjon, who expressed great enthusiasm in this new course offered at UiO, since from discussions with Norwegian energy companies of her network it is clear that building competence on innovation in the field of energy is what is needed now more than ever. Đurkić has worked as a scientist in research and development of a Norwegian company, and contributed to processes that lead to major product innovations in IKEA. With her experience as an example, she discussed with the students the importance of an ecosystem to speed up the innovation process and reduce the risk, while creating value. She described the possible paths from an idea in the lab to establishing a spin-off, up to the scaling-up phase. Videos from companies, other inspirational speakers and documentaries completed the range of external matierials used in the course, in addition to analysis of academic papers.
Intensive course for three weeks
The course for 2023 has run as an intensive course for three weeks, as a pilot course for the master program Renewable Energy Systems at ITS, welcoming applicants from other faculties and universities in the future.
What are your experiences with this pilot course so far, Sabrina Sartori?
-The way we built the course favor a rich exchange of information, opinion, discussion, and critical analysis. Technology development is not only about formulas, materials research and new tools, it is as much about public acceptance, legitimation, change and development of a society. I noticed how discussions we are having during guests and lecturer presentations are stimulating students to think differently, with a wider perspective. This helps them to consider other aspects of a technology, not only its efficiency or durability, in other words more than the pure technical performance. Students are very engaged and it is exciting to see how their way of thinking is broadening. This is exactly what we were hoping for, says Sartori.
This year´s students highly recommend this course for future students. -The teaching methods, the syllabus, the motivational lecturers and working in small groups is much recommended when getting a basic understanding of innovation as a concept and of technological innovation systems analysis, the students say. Fingers crossed for a reprise in 2024!