IRI THESys Summer School: Situating Hydrological Modelling
Hydrological modelling is central to attempts at better understanding and predicting the uneven water distributions that increasingly characterize contemporary sustainability challenges. The outcomes of hydrological models, in turn, importantly co-shape water management decisions. Hydrological models, therefore, are more than mere attempts to accurately represent changing water realities; they also interfere in and co-produce these realities.
How to situate hydrological modelling? Let’s do some research on research!
Our summer school “Situating Hydrological Modelling” sets out to develop an approach to uncover the conditions, contingencies and consequences of hydrological modelling practices. We call this approach situated modelling (SitMod). Which ontological and epistemological commitments are made when building hydrological models? What are the consequences in terms of water management decisions? Which ethical responsibilities arise? How best to live up to them?
During our five-day summer school “Situating Hydrological Modelling”, we will provide perspectives on these and similar questions by bringing together an interdisciplinary group of participants including hydrologists and researchers interested in studying hydrological modelling practices from fields such as science and technology studies, human geography and critical water studies.
Responding to recent calls for “research on research” to reconnect with the pressing challenges of our time through empirical and conceptual experimentation, we will engage the interdisciplinary group of scholars in co-laboration. We will employ experiential teaching formats by mixing small group work with plenary theoretical reflection and input. Methods training on participant observation and interview techniques for studying modelling as practice will be provided.
Who can apply?
You must be enrolled as a PhD researcher and work in hydrological modelling and/or be engaged in “researching research” in science and technology studies, human geography, or related fields.
You can find all information on further requirements, the accommodation and travel costs covered, and the preliminary programme on the website of IRI THESys:
https://www.iri-thesys.org/news/thesys-summer-school-on-situating-hydrological-modelling/
Please send your application documents by email to kathrin.klementz@hu-berlin.de by 16 April 2023 9pm GMT.