STS Lab Seminar – 23/4 – Jessica Mesman – The generative potential of the unknown

[Loïc Riom]

Dear colleagues,

You are warmly invited to the next session of the STS Lab seminar, which will take place on Thursday, April 23, from 12:15 to 14:00, in room Géopolis 2224 and online (connection details in the link below).

We look forward to seeing you there,

Chloé Schaer, Annabella Zamora and Loïc Riom

Thursday, April 23 2026 – 12:15 to 14:00 – Géopolis Room 2224 and online

The generative potential of the unknown

Jessica Mesman, Maastricht University

In this presentation, I would like to discuss my first explorations of studying the role of non-knowledge in navigating complexity in healthcare. For a better understanding of what I am after, I will first present my overall project on navigating complexity in healthcare, to which this research question belongs. Sketching an overall picture and its underlying principles provides a point of departure for discussing the generative potential of the unknown. In this part, I will present my ideas on possible ways to study the role of non-knowledge in navigating complexity in healthcare. This is not about overcoming the absence of knowledge but working with the unknown. This requires various methodological moves, which I would like to discuss with you. By sharing my initial ideas and struggles, I hope to spark a lively discussion.