# Technology, Innovation & Society
**Source**: https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society
**Parent**: https://www.tue.nl/en/research
Department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences
# Technology, Innovation & Society
We research innovation and socio-technical transitions towards a more sustainable society.
## Inventions are great, but an invention is not yet an innovation, and not all innovations have a positive impact on society.
Technological innovations offer many opportunities to address key societal challenges in areas like sustainable energy, mobility, Europeanization and Globalization. However, change is not only about the mere availability of such innovative technologies (like renewable energy technologies or cleaner cars), but rather requires a transformation of existing socio-technical systems: a transition. This includes changes in firm strategies, consumer behavior, social practices, institutions and regulations, etc. Different aspects of such transition processes cannot be studied in isolation, but require a broader, systems-oriented perspective. In our view, society shapes technological progress, but technological progress also shapes our society. Technologies intertwine with radical transformations in work, travel, communication, and private life.\
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The Technology, Innovation & Society (TIS) group at TU/e is unique in combining questions on innovation and long-term transitions, and aspire to be a leading group in this field worldwide. We have a strong embedding in relevant social science and humanities disciplines such as innovation studies, economics of innovation, Science- and Technology Studies (STS) TS, sustainability transition studies, and history of technology. We study sustainable innovation and transitions in systemic, transdisciplinary, and transnational perspective.
[Read more](#)
Societal relevance is at the heart of almost all we do at the TIS group. Many of our studies involve governments, companies, NGOs, and users. This helps us to enable smooth transitions and leverage the benefits of innovations, but interaction with these parties has also resulted in new research methodologies and approaches as well as significant contributions to theory development and refinement. With our work, we aim to contribute to a more sustainable society.
The research focus of TIS covers both short term processes (innovations) and long term, pervasive processes (transitions), and addresses multiple aspects of the innovation journey – invention, innovation, diffusion, appropriation, governance, policy intervention, and societal implications locally and globally. Moreover, we believe that innovation/transition questions should be studied in a close linkage with technology. Being part of a technical university, TIS fully uses the opportunities that arise from this unique positioning and has collaboration with other departments at its core.
Our work is along three main axes:
1. The systemic axis: from individual elements to the system level;
2. The temporal axis: from short term experiments to long term transitions;
3. The geographic axis: local, regional, national, European, global and the entanglements between these scales.
We have a special focus on the application domains of sustainable energy, sustainable mobility, and (green) ICT.
Our group works with many collaborative partners, including:
- [Dialogic Innovatie & Interactie](https://www.dialogic.nl/)
- [Dutch Statistics (CBS)](https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb)
- [Foundation for the History of Technology SHT](https://www.histech.nl/www/en/home) (our in-house research partner)
- [PON](http://www.pon.com/en) (automotive, bicycles, industry)
- [Rathenau Institute](https://www.rathenau.nl/en)
- [Rijkswaterstaat](https://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/english/index.aspx) (Department of Waterways and Public Works, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management)
- [Solar Energy Application Centre (SEAC)](https://www.seac.cc/en/)
We also operate in many academic networks, including:
- [Eurotech Universities](http://eurotech-universities.eu/)
- [Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN)](https://transitionsnetwork.org/)
- [Tensions of Europe: Research network on history, technology, and Europe](https://www.tensionsofeurope.eu/). (international network based in Eindhoven)
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## TIS news
- [All TIS news](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/all-tis-news "Click to see all TIS news")
[February 25, 2026
The development of governance capacities for transformative change
PhD research by Jasper van Dijk shows how actors in Dutch energy regions develop governance capacities through social learning, helping society address complex...
Read more](https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/25-02-2026-the-development-of-governance-capacities-for-transformative-change)
[February 12, 2026
Sustainability Ambassador Anna Wieczorek explains the power of experimentation in transitions
A large-scale meta-study provides ten lessons learnt from thousands of sustainability transition experiments. These findings are also relevant for TU/e’s...
Read more](https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/12-02-2026-sustainability-ambassador-anna-wieczorek-explains-the-power-of-experimentation-in-transitions)
More news
[Rethinking the Last Mile
February 11, 2026](https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/11-02-2026-rethinking-the-last-mile)
[Green hydrogen redraws industry
February 9, 2026](https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/09-02-2026-green-hydrogen-redraws-industry)
[Transforming cities fairly
February 5, 2026](https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/05-02-2026-transforming-cities-fairly)
[Mobility in Motion
November 18, 2025](https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/18-11-2025-mobility-in-motion)
- [All TIS news](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/all-tis-news "Click to see all TIS news")
- [RSS](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society?type=150)
## OUR RESEARCH THEMES
[Research theme
### History Lab
The TU/e History Lab is a global center for the historical study of interacting technological, social and environmental changes.](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/history-lab)[### Sustainability transitions
Our mission is to provide the knowledge that is needed to accelerate the sustainability transitions in energy and mobility](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/sustainability-transitions)
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[Research topic
### Innovation by standardization and intellectual property
Our mission is to provide knowledge on how standardization and intellectual property can contribute the development and use of knowledge, to…](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/innovation-by-standardization-and-intellectual-property)[Research theme
### Energy Transitions in the Global South
Our mission is to provide the knowledge that is needed to realize fair and inclusive energy transitions in the global south.](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/energy-transitions-in-the-global-south)
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## Some of our researchers
[Full Professor emeritus
### Ruth Oldenziel](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/ruth-oldenziel)[Assistant Professor
### Mara Hauck](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/mara-hauck)[Assistant Professor
### Jonas Van der Straeten](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/jonas-van-der-straeten)[Full Professor
### Anna Wieczorek](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/anna-wieczorek)[Assistant Professor
### Emilio Raiteri](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/emilio-raiteri)[Full Professor
### Rudi Bekkers](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/rudi-bekkers)[Assistant Professor
### Frank Veraart](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/frank-veraart)[Associate Professor
### Frauke Behrendt](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/frauke-behrendt)[Associate Professor
### Bert Sadowski](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/bert-sadowski)[Full Professor
### Heleen de Coninck](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/heleen-de-coninck)[Associate Professor
### Johanna Höffken](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/johanna-hoeffken)[Full Professor
### Erik van der Vleuten](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/erik-van-der-vleuten)[Assistant Professor
### Arjan Kirkels](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/arjan-kirkels)[Full Professor
### Floor Alkemade](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/floor-alkemade)
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- [See all our researchers](https://research.tue.nl/en/organisations/technology-innovation-society/persons/ "Overview of all TIS researchers")
## Recent Publications
- [See all publications](https://research.tue.nl/en/organisations/technology-innovation-society/publications/)
Our most recent peer reviewed publications
- [### From sustainable toward ‘city-friendly’ logistics
Cities
(2026)
Hanbit Chang,Frauke Behrendt](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/b21565c7-c743-4d18-a024-849e61ec72dc)
- [### Roots and Dynamics of Dutch Foreign Plant-oil Demands 1920–2020
Global Environment
(2026)
Frank C.A. Veraart,Maliene Kip,Dulce van Vliet](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/87b48fcd-5b57-47b6-b6da-befa698450bb)
- [### Investment feasibility of green hydrogen production from geothermal electricity
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
(2026)
Andri D. Setiawan,Surya Marthen,Marmelia P. Dewi,Armand O. Moeis,Akhmad Hidayatno,H. Romijn](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/e523f1d9-ab8b-49f6-8f7e-1a1d2c23e105)
- [### Quantifying the potential of energy communities in renewable electricity generation in The Netherlands
Energy Research and Social Science
(2026)
Naud Loomans,Leila Niamir,Caroline Zimm,Floor Alkemade](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/bb480cb6-e463-4210-90ab-3baf40132800)
- [### A method to identify positive tipping points to accelerate low-carbon transitions and actions to trigger them
Sustainability Science
(2026)
Timothy M. Lenton,Thomas W.R. Powell,Steven R. Smith,Frank W. Geels,Floor Alkemade,Martina Ayoub,Pete Barbrook-Johnson,Scarlett Benson,Fenna Blomsma,Chris A. Boulton](https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/bb2e6de1-4a16-4794-8f17-274fe7ceedff)
## Some of our Research Projects
[### Energy Ethics
In the Fair Energy Transition Center, Utrecht University and TU/e work on a Fair, Just, and Inclusive Energy Transition](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/energy-ethics)[Research project
### THE BRIDGES Project
TVET and Higher Education for Boosting Road Infrastructure Development and Growth of Energy Services in Somalia and Somaliland](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/the-bridges-project)[Research project
### Community-based Virtual Power Plant
A novel model of radical decarbonisation based on empowerment of low-carbon community driven energy initiatives](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/community-based-virtual-power-plant)[Research project
### From automobility to smart mobility
The transition to smart mobility researched from a socio-technical perspective](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/from-automobility-to-smart-mobility)[Research project
### Multi Utilities Smart Energy GRIDS
Promoting energy communities and testing smart energy systems in Europe and India to maximize local energy independency](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/multi-utilities-smart-energy-grids-1)[Research project
### The Cleantech Innovation Capacity of Countries
Objective: to explain the emergence and uneven rate of cleantech innovation across countries](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/the-cleantech-innovation-capacity-of-countries)[Research project
### URBANE
Developing a sustainable business model for agro-ecological farming in West-Africa](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/industrial-engineering/innovation-technology-entrepreneurship-marketing/urbane)[Research project
### Historical Roots of the Dutch Sustainability Challenge
The Impact of the Utilization of Material Resources on the Modernization of Dutch Society, 1850-2010](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/historical-roots-of-the-dutch-sustainability-challenge)[Research project
### evRoaming4EU
The ultimate goal is to allow any EV driver to charge at any charging station in the EU.](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/evroaming4eu)[Research project
### Smart Cycling Futures
How can smart cycling innovations contribute to more resilient and live-able Dutch urban regions.](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/smart-cycling-futures)[Research project
### New Energy Outlook for the Netherlands
Lighting the way to zero emission energy and mobility](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/new-energy-outlook-for-the-netherlands)[Research project
### Developing and Implementing Smart Grids in India
How to develop and implement smart grids in rural India](https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/technology-innovation-society/developing-and-implementing-smart-grids-in-india)
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## Contact
- ### Visiting address
Atlas 8.401
Groene Loper
Eindhoven
Netherlands
[+31 (0)40 247 2043](tel:+310402472043)
- ### Postal address
Atlas 8.401
P.O. Box 513
5600 MB
Eindhoven
Netherlands
- ###
Secretary
[I.J.C.Houx@remove-this.tue.nl](#)