For its 50th anniversary, "Minerva" invites contributions by young researchers about their ideas for the future of science and technology research. Developments, policy issues and challenges are open for a critical review. The possible types of articles have been outlined:

• A contribution can start by critically discussing how the field has developed since the early 1960s when Minerva was established (cf. also the collection of articles edited by Edward Shils (1968), whose long-standing editorship of Minerva shaped its original style and profile). Since then, other journals have been established which cover (partly or wholly) the field of science and technology policy studies. And the community of scholars working in the field has grown and differentiated. What are its main accomplishments, its opportunities, its prospects?

• A contribution can also start with an issue (a policy issue, or a techno-science issue), locate it in the field, and ask how it is now being addressed, and how to do better. In the 1960s, criteria of choice for policy of science, and the issue of freedom of (university) science, were discussed in the pages of Minerva and more widely. In the meantime, other policy issues have emerged: changes in knowledge production regimes, in the relations between public and private science, in the role of expertise, and in the development of new domains of techno-science. One can inquire into the present and future status of such issues, when science, “restored to its rightful place,” is expected to address grand challenges in a global world, even as recontextualisation of science in society is occurring and actively sought (Nowotny et al. 2001, see also the Report of the EU Expert Group MASIS, Markus et al. 2009). What does this imply for science and technology policy, and science and technology policy studies?

• Thirdly, the contribution can start with a challenge for the field of science and technology policy studies itself, linked to challenges for science and technology policy – such as changing rationales for science and technology policy, and the effectiveness of old and new policy instruments. This can be discussed as to the substance of the policy challenge itself, but must also contain reflection on the – often limited – role of science and technology policy studies in actual science and technology policy making.

•  Additionally, a submission which reports on research using the tools of science and technology policy studies can be considered if the topic of the research is important for the future agenda of the field, i.e. exemplifies new horizons.

The editors encourage potential contributors to submit an abstract by 15 October, and can respond to inquiries earlier on. Within two weeks of receipt, the abstract will be evaluated in terms of general potential and eligibility for the Special Issue. The editors may suggest possible improvements.

Full papers of no more than 8000 words must be submitted by 1 January, 2012. The Special Issue is planned to appear in 2012 (issue 50/2).