Sociomaterial transformations in Norway and East Asia (SoMaT)

Sociomaterial transformations in Norway and East Asia (SoMaT)

SoMaT logo


About the project

About the project

SoMaT is an INTPART (Research Council Norway) project that investigates sociomaterial transformations in Norway and East Asia from a Humanities-based Science & Technology Studies (STS) framework on three thematic areas: sustainability, digitalization, and diversity.

Somat participants standing by NTNU sign on campus yard
SoMaT project participants
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SoMaT strengthens international collaboration between researchers and students from NTNU with one Japanese, one South Korean, and two Chinese universities to develop solid international, interdisciplinary, cutting-edge knowledge and perspectives. This will be done through investigating entanglements of the social and the material in every day- and organizational life, for which STS perspectives are ideal. We center our research, teaching, and collaboration around thematic areas within our core institutional competencies for understanding contemporary society and how novel science and technology transformations impact society. Project leader, NTNU KULT, is world-leading in STS research and teaching, as demonstrated through our portfolio of several EU-funded projects, with ERCs, CSA and MSCAs, and RCN-funded projects. We will actively collaborate with these projects in our cross research-focused approach and with new researcher staff exchange to the Asian partners in the project.

The project leaders are Roger Søraa (NTNU) and Marius Korsnes (NTNU). In collaboration on the project are Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTsinghua UniversityUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. The project has been funded by The Research Council of Norway for 5 years (2023-2028).


Activities and results

Activities and results

SoMaT has a wide-reaching dissemination strategy targeting the five partner universities, their students, researchers, the wider academic community that take part in the project, and the public. By engaging with public and private organizations through the winter and PhD schools, we also disseminate beyond our universities.

Updates will be provided here as the project develops.