Podcast on Inclusive Research and Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics · Dr. Claudia Werker

How can policy enable Inclusive Research and Innovation in STEM happen?

February 26, 2025·21 min·2 clips

Frauke Hoss discovered that 3,500 European standards rely on outdated, non-inclusive anthropometric data.

This episode features Claudia Werker, an Associate Professor at Delft University of Technology, and policy officer Frauke Hoss from the European Commission's DG Grow. They examine how European policy can foster inclusive research and innovation by integrating diverse human measurements into product standards and design. Hoss explains her work on legislation for industrial products like elevators, cableways, and machinery, where safety standards currently rely on outdated anthropometric data. A 2024 study screened 3,500 standards under Hoss's unit and found they were not inclusive, often based on a single "average man" dummy without representative data for all Europeans. The study revealed a critical lack of a comprehensive, EU-wide anthropometric dataset covering roughly 200 relevant body parameters, from ear canal width to jaw strength. Existing data is outdated, non-representative, and doesn't account for significant height variations, such as the 10-centimeter difference between Maltese and Dutch populations. A feasibility study running until the end of 2024 aims to determine the cost and methodology for collecting this inclusive data for adults, building on a prior study that measured 1,400 children in Spain and the Netherlands. One surprising insight is that international standards, like those for masks updated during the pandemic, now use five statistically average faces—but these scans are based on U.S. data, not European populations. Hoss notes that even a simple standard, like specifying an elevator must be two meters high, often has an untraceable origin, highlighting a transparency issue in standardization. The discussion reveals that inclusive data could unlock markets, illustrated by the example of a man unable to find a racing bicycle narrow enough for his wife's shoulders because handlebar width correlates to shoulder measurements. A memorable moment details how the ISO standard for masks was historically tested on a single dummy named "Jimmy," an elderly British man, before being updated. Hoss argues that accessible data would particularly help small and medium-sized enterprises innovate, as large companies can afford to collect their own measurements. The conversation touches on complex trade-offs, such as whether to collect a comprehensive but expensive dataset or a simpler, more updatable one. The tone is conversational and educational, blending policy analysis with practical examples from engineering and consumer goods. It maintains a forward-looking, problem-solving approach while acknowledging the cultural and economic challenges of changing long-standing standardization practices. Listeners interested in EU policy, industrial design, standardization, and equitable technology development would find this episode valuable. Those seeking highly technical deep dives or contentious debate might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

Policy turns inclusion into standards, data, and safer products.

It treats inclusive STEM as a policy and standards problem, tracing Frauke Hoss from product safety to the measurements that decide who research and design actually serve.

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Why you'd press play

You want a policy-side take on inclusive STEM that turns abstract equity into product design and standards.

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