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Short abstract:

In this reflection about being an embedded STS researcher I will argue that being an embedded STS researcher demands and likewise enables active positioning work that is driven by individual decisions, project design as well as by the context of the consortia and its members.

Long abstract:

This reflection about being an embedded STS researcher stems from a transdisciplinary project between computer graphics scientists, neurosurgeons, and STS-researchers that aimed at developing new modes of diagnostic-cooperative visualisations of relevant patient data. I will argue that being an embedded STS researcher demands and likewise enables active positioning work that is driven by individual decisions, project design as well as by the context of the consortia and its members.

My own basic normative idea was that the expertise and needs of all consortia members (including my own) must be considered for a successful, innovative, problem-solving output. As my main task I defined enabling collaboration on eye level between the disciplines. For this, I used my qualitative methods repertoire as a means for unveiling underlying relevance structures of the others and using them actively to empower or disempower them, with varying degrees of success. Was this the right way?

The others defined my roles and tasks in the project sometimes differently. For example, I should act as service provider or help making their own wishes acceptable to the others. Sometimes I was also disempowered, e.g. through exclusion from decision-making situations. All this shows a high degree of inclusion in the project process. But not everyone in every context must or can include herself in that extensive way. The original design of the project as symmetrical between technology development and theory building led to the very active positioning of the STS researcher. I welcome the discussion with more unobtrusive accounts.