Astrid Szogs (PhD Innovation Studies)

Astrid Szogs Research Fellow

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Publication List
Training Astrid Szogs studied Scandinavian culture, history and language studies at Humboldt University, Berlin and social anthropology as well as European Science, Society and Technology Studies (ESST) at Oslo University, Norway. She holds a PhD in innovation studies from the Center for Innovation, Research and Learning in the Learning Economy (CIRCLE), Lund University, Sweden. Her dissertation investigated technological capability building in informal firms in Tanzania and examined several mechanisms for technology transfer from a university to rural areas.
Career Prior to joining DITSL she has worked on an IDRC funded project “Universities, Innovation and Inclusive Development in Africa: Towards a Research Network” (UNIID) Africa as key team member of the Tanzanian team. In 2010 Astrid worked at ATPS Tanzania (now STIPRO) in Dar es Salaam where she coordinated the project “The Impact of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) on Local Technological Capabilities in Least Developed Countries: The Case of Tanzania”. Since 2003 she was employed as doctoral candidate at Lund University, Sweden. Astrid is also a research associate at the SARChi chair, Institute of Economic Research in Innovation (IERI) at Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
Experience abroad 1998-2003 Norway
2003-2010 Sweden
2010 Tanzania
Additionally many short research field trips to Tanzania and other short work related stays in South Africa, Mexico and Senegal.
Research Her research interests are to understand the role of innovation in socio-economic, inclusive development. To do this she has applied an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to studying the phenomenon of innovation. Specific research topics include the role of universities in inclusive development, (agricultural) innovation systems in Africa, measurement of innovation in Africa, economics of innovation and innovation policy.
Current research projects Currently in the process of writing research proposals

Completed research projects
  • Universities, innovation and inclusive development in Africa: towards a research network (UNIID). IDRC grant.
  • The Impact of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) on Local Technological Capabilities in Least Developed Countries: The Case of Tanzania. Funded by Think Tank Initiative (TTI) administered through IDRC.
  • African, Science, Technology & Innovation Indicators (ASTII) Initiative. (Faculty member).
  • On the position and opportunities for Sweden within the field of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, (TERM project).
  • The North versus the South in a globalizing world: Leveraging the role of multinationals in promoting development.
Teaching Astrid lectured at Master and Bachelor Level at Lund University on topics such as “Innovation and Economic Development”, “Global Competition in High Tech Sectors”, “Science and Technology from a Business and Economics Perspective” and “Intellectual Property Rights and Appropriability Regimes”. While employed at Lund University she was the main supervisor of 3 Master students. She was the external reviewer of 5 ESST Master students final dissertation. Astrid is currently teaching a course at the IVWL at Kassel University on "innovation and inclusive development".