Robin Williams (born 13 November 1952) is a British social scientist who is Professor of Social Research on Technology at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and director of the Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation.
[1] After studying Natural Sciences and Social and Political Science at Clare College, Cambridge,[2] Robin Williams took an MSc and PhD at Aston University and worked as research fellow in the Technology Policy Unit until 1986.
[3] During this time Robin Williams and other researchers in Edinburgh PICT Centre published on issues regarding social, economic and political aspects of the design and implementation of technology.
[4] Concluding the findings of a decade's research Robin Williams and David Edge published a notable paper on the ‘broad church’ of social shaping of technology.
In 2000 Robin Williams established the Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation (ISSTI) to bring together groups of academics and individual researchers across the University of Edinburgh who are involved in research, teaching and knowledge transfer on social and policy aspects of science, technology and innovation.