ISTAS23: IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society 2023 Swansea University Swansea, UK, September 13-15, 2023 |
| Conference website | https://attend.ieee.org/istas-2023/ |
| Submission link | https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=istas23 |
| Submission deadline | March 31, 2023 |
The IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) is the flagship conference of the IEEE’s Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT). ISTAS is a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary forum for engineers, policy makers, entrepreneurs, philosophers, researchers, social scientists, and technologists to collaborate, exchange experiences, and discuss the social implications of technology.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are global grand challenges that are inherently complex, multi-faceted and socially embedded (Corbett & Mellouli, 2017). The SDGs inevitably encounter tensions between their design and implementation, representing design-reality gaps (Pradhan et al., 2022; Heeks, 2020a; Dennehy et al., 2014). While optimism is relatively high about the role of technology and analytics in the context of global development (Smidt & Jokonya, 2022), significant learning remains about how best to use them as ‘platforms that mediate development’ (Heeks 2020b). Further, despite the efforts made by scholars to advance understanding about the role of technology and analytics for global development (e.g., Dwivedi et al., 2021; Khene & Masiero, 2022; Masiero & Arvidsson, 2021), a concerted effort within and between academic disciplines, policy-makers, practitioners, and the intended beneficiaries of the SDGs will help to discover and create better ways to achieve the SDGs.
ISTAS23 aims to bring together contributions from a variety of perspectives, disciplines, and communities for the advancement of knowledge regarding Technology and Analytics for Global Development. We invite participation from academics and practitioners who are engaged in current debates about the role and significance of technology and analytics, and who are interested in topics related to sustainability, ethics, equity, and social values for global development.
Submission Guidelines
All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference. The following paper categories are welcome:
IEEE ISTAS 2023 invites submission of full papers and short papers by 21 March 2023 that are aligned with SSIT’s technical areas and provide insight into the Role of Technology and Analytics for Global Development supporting achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another conference or journal. Each presenter will present one paper in the Programme.
Papers should focus on a specific conference topic.
All papers submitted (full papers and short papers) are blind peer reviewed. All papers are published in English.
Paper Submission
All submissions must be made online to facilitate the blind peer review process. The submission link will be published in due course.
Author details should be included in the online submission form. Author details should not be included in the initial version of the paper submitted for blind peer review.
General Issues to be considered when preparing Papers
Papers must present analysis of initial or final research results or a case study. It is important to highlight actual or expected impact as well as the level of innovation.
It is necessary to clearly state what contribution each submission is making to the body of knowledge in the relevant thematic area and how the results are innovative in the context of the specific intervention. General project descriptions or project proposals will not be assigned for review.
It is necessary for papers submitted to include new elements that have not previously been published to warrant inclusion in the conference proceedings. Any visionary elements in paper should be supported by mini use cases to illustrate applicability.
Any elements of the paper previously published should be carefully referenced. Authors should undertake a plagiarism check prior to submission and ensure that all content is appropriately referenced including self-references.
Paper Types
- Full Papers
Full Papers are 6 – 8 pages in length using the IEEE paper template including a full reference section. This paper type is appropriate for sharing mature work or analysis of results from completed projects. Full papers should include a clear methodology section and literature review, comparing results against published literature. See section below on Paper Structure.
- Short Papers
Short Papers are 3 – 4 pages in length using the IEEE paper template including a short reference section. This paper type is appropriate for sharing early stage results from research / projects, work in progress or a snapshot of interim results, experiences and perspectives. See section below on Paper Structure.
Paper Structure
All paper submissions should incorporate the following sub-sections within the IEEE paper template prior to converting to PDF format and uploading via the Online Submission site:
- Abstract (c. 150 words) – Summarise the problem domain, paper objectives, research methodology, main findings and recommendations.
- Introduction – Context and motivation for research or intervention, target need and community/communities addressed, statement of the contribution to the body of knowledge in this domain
- Objectives – Summarise paper objectives
- Methodology – Please summarise the methodologies used for data collection, sampling and data analysis in sufficient detail to support replicability. Outline the limitations of the study
- Results and Discussion – presentation of preliminary, early results or final results (depending on submission type selected), analysis and discussion of implications of results, comparison of findings with published literature. Summarise how societal and ethical implications of technology have been appropriately addressed.
- Conclusion and Recommendations – Summarise key findings, outline concrete recommendations and next steps
- References
Plagiarism Check
As part of the quality standard expected for IEEE and SSIT Conferences, all papers submitted willundergo a Plagiarism Check before being assigned for blind peer review by members of the IEEE ISTAS 2023 International Technical Programme Committee Members (TPC), who are all experienced subject matter experts.
Paper Review Criteria
All paper submissions will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
- Relevance – Paper should share insight, experiences and lessons learned through the lens of pilot, implementation, deployment, development or research projects in the relevant thematic area related activities. Content should be sufficiently relevant to the conference topic selected. The submission should clearly outline how societal and ethical implications of technology are appropriately addressed in the context of the specific intervention.
- Validity – Quality of argument and interpretation is well-structured, logical, appropriate, and well-grounded in relevant theory as well as within the actual experiences and realities of humanitarian practices. Provides sufficient analysis of results and contextualises the work with published literature.
- Contribution – Contribution to the body of knowledge related to the specific domain. Presents timely, novel and original knowledge of ideas, information, problems, interpretation or solutions in relation to existing practice (programs, use and ways of working) and academic research (theory, techniques, paradigms). Provides potential for positively impacting practice and research (including design, engineering, use or understanding). Results should be innovative within the context of the intervention and the target users.
- Methodological Rigor – Is the research design of high quality, and are the proposed methods (data collection, sampling, data analysis) appropriate with a clear description of data/findings, quality and appropriateness of analysis? Is there a clear evaluation of consequences of interventions, and strengths and limitations of the study to support replication and external validation?
- Clarify and Accessibility – Paper should be written in easy to understand English, have a short descriptive title, clear abstract and objectives, be well-structured, apply formatting and style guidelines, clearly explain any technical language or abbreviations, and present tables and graphics that add value. It should be of appropriate length, with a strong conclusion presenting a synthesis of the insight shared, with actionable recommendations and proposed next steps.
List of Topics
We welcome rigorous studies that employ quantitative, qualitative, and/or critical methods and advance understanding about the role of technology and analytics for global development and achieving the SDGs. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Track 1: Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Technology
- Initiatives focusing on the promotion of the UN-SDGs to diverse groups in society
- Applications of technology (e.g., AI, metaverse) and analytics (e.g., big data, social media) for sustainable development
- Addressing the unintended consequences (e.g., exclusion, discrimination) of technology and analytics in developed countries
- Emerging technologies and analytics for resilient supply chains (e.g., agrifood, humanitarian)
- Digital transformation of public (e.g., e-government, digital government) and not-for-profit organisations
- Case studies that apply technologies and analytics in a development context
- Digital platforms and social media for sustainable societies
- The role of technology and analytics for sustainable tourism and hospitality services
- Smart technologies and sports analytics to ensure healthy lives and well-being.
Track 2: Universal Access (Fintech, Education, Health)
- Open banking and financial inclusion
- FinTech platforms for economic development
- Digital payments, ecosystems, and apps
- Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology
- The role of AI, machine learning, and big data in sustainable finance and fintech sector
- Developing skills and talent in sustainable finance and fintech sectors
- Neobanks, and Islamic banking for sustainable development
- Innovative learning environments (e.g., extended reality - XR)
- Ethical implications, unintended consequences of immersive technologies
- Opportunities and challenges of digitizing education
- Equality, diversity, and inclusion in technology-enabled education
- AI-enabled learning systems (e.g., adaptive learning systems, recommender systems)
- Implications of educational technologies
- Smart technologies (e.g., wearable devices, digital platforms) and analytics for healthcare innovations in developing countries
Track 3: Protecting the Planet (Agritech, sustainable livelihoods)
- The use of technologies to support remote monitoring of crops and animals, the monitoring and maintenance of agricultural machinery and systems for the monitoring and optimisation of farm yields
- New technologies and innovative technology applications within agricultural processes for increased yields, efficiencies, and product quality
- The use of immersive technologies in the enhancement of training/ education within the Agri-Tech sector
- Initiatives to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the field of AgriTech
- Initiatives to drive best manufacturing practices, such as lean manufacturing & six sigma tools to the installation & service functions across the agri-food sector
- Successful models of collaboration in the AgriTech space across academia, industry, government and community groups
- Precision agriculture and remote sensing
Track 4: Societal Impact (IS, ICT4D 3.0, Circular economies)
- Technology and analytics for disaster risk reduction and emergency response
- IS for gender equality and women's empowerment
- Digital innovation and entrepreneurship
- Digital transformation, gig economy, and social innovation
- Datafication and digitalisation for digital development
- Green IS and sustainable development
- Industry 4.0 technologies and circular economies for social and economic development
- AI and analytics for sustainability
- ICT4D 3.0 to support smart cities, urbanisation, and sustainable livelihoods
- Applications of IS and analytics to address grand societal challenges
- IS and ICT4D 3.0 adoption studies in developing countries
- Challenges for the circular economy in developed and developing countries
- Applications of circular economy frameworks and best practices
- Circular economy business models for remanufacturing, refurbishing products
- Sustainability and 4th Industrial Revolution
- The role of Industry 4.0 for sustainable livelihoods and agri-food supply chains
- The impact of technology e-waste on developing countries
Track 5: Ethics and Human values
- Big data and AI governance structures and governance models for global development
- Technology, analytics, and the future of law
- AI and analytics in legislation, in legal practice and in the courtroom
- Analytics, privacy, and self-determination
- Technological vs/and legal normativity
- Responsible innovation and the future of analytics
- Papers on Bruno Latour scholarship.
- Institutional frameworks and international cooperation for sustainable development
Track 6: Public Interest Technology for Innovation in Global Development
- (Co-)creation of knowledge and open information infrastructures / projects / services
- Global development projects with an emphasis on public interest technology frameworks, models, approaches
- Innovation ecosystems, and product innovations for inclusion
- Technology, responsible innovation, and global development
- Socio-technical systems and approaches (specific to technology and analytics)
- Local, regional, national, international, and grand societal challenges in the context of socio-technical systems
- Multi-stakeholder perspectives in relation to technology design and development
- Human-centred, participatory, co-design, by design and values-based approaches and projects
- Case studies of global technology and development deployments
- Process interventions for innovation in global development
- Research-teaching nexus in supporting cross-institutional and cross-sectoral
- partnerships toward open, transdisciplinary models, projects, and programs
Track 7: Smart Technologies for Defence, Security and Stability
- Smart technologies (AI, blockchain, IoT) and analytics for defence and security
- Smart technologies and analytics to improve security and social stability
- AI and big data applications in counter-terrorism, pre and post attacks
- Application of big data analytics against risk index in defence
- The role of smart technologies and analytics in cyber security and cyber warfare
- The role of AI role in counter-espionage, mobile phone security and data tracking
- AI and threat modelling in defence and social stability
- AI distributed design and implementation for security and defence
- AI human-centred design for defence
- Adoption and implementation of smart technologies by armed forces
- Digital transformation and inter-organisation data sharing in defence
- The role of social media intelligence and analysis in defence
Track 8: Intelligent Systems and Supply Chains for Sustainable Development
- Enablers, barriers, and resources required to successfully apply cutting-edge technologies (e.g., AI, big data analytics)
- Supply chain optimisation in the context of industry 4.0
- Improved decision-making through the application of big data technologies
- Supply chain transparency improvement by applying blockchain and IoTs
- Supply chain resilience enhancement with industry 4.0 technologies
- Case studies that apply emerging technologies across different stages of a supply chain
- Supply chain risk management with different digital technologies
- Supply chain efficiency improvement with autonomous robotics
- Technologies (e.g., AI, big data analytics) for resilient emergency response supply chains
- Intelligent and safe transportation
- Smart cities and smart grid
- Renewable energies
- Expert systems for healthcare data
- Green scheduling problems
- Opinion Evolution
Committees
Conference Chairs
- Denis Dennehy, Swansea University
- Yogesh, K. Dwivedi, Swansea University
- Samuel Fosso Wamba, Toulouse Business School
Organizing committee
Technical Chairs
- Silvia Masiero, University of Oslo
- Ransome Bawack, Audencia Business School
- Miriam Cunningham (IST-Africa Institute/IEEE SSIT UK & Ireland Chapter Chair
Treasurer Chairs
- Paul Jones, Swansea University
- Howard Wolfman, University of Illinois
Publicity/Outreach & Social Chairs
- Fred Boy, Swansea University
- Laurie Hughes, Swansea University
Proceedings and Participation in Program
The IEEE ISTAS 2023 Proceedings will be submitted for publication in IEEE Xplore.
It is a requirement for all IEEE Conferences that authors sign the Electronic Copyright form (eCF) transferring ownership of papers to IEEE to facilitate inclusion in IEEE Xplore.
After the updated camera-ready paper is submitted and conference registration is paid, a personalised link to sign the eCF will be sent by email to the nominated author/presenter.
Each presenter can present ONE paper in the Programme. It is necessary for papers to be presented by an original author / co-author who will also answer questions based on the presentation during the event to facilitate inclusion in the Conference Proceedings.