Science, Technology, and Society

Science, technology, and society (STS) is a broad, cross-disciplinary field that aims to understand and influence how society shapes science and technology and how, in turn, science and technology shape society and the environment. At Sarah Lawrence College, STS approaches science in the context of the human experience and aims to focus not only on what scientists do but on their role in our society and in the history of our culture. Our students come from all walks of life—artists, musicians, those interested in politics and/or the environment, and pre-health—and our seminars function as places for the genuine interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. Whenever possible (especially in service-learning classes, where students do on-site placement), seminars focus on real-world problems that have science components. The goal of STS is to encourage students to investigate, analyze, and apply concepts and processes from the social sciences to enrich and expand their understanding of science and its role in the contemporary world—as well as in their own lives.