CSPO Conversations

As funding for rangeland research becomes more difficult to secure, researchers and funding organizations must ensure that the information needs of public and private land managers are met. Usable science that involves the intended end users through the scientific enterprise and gives rise to improved outcomes and informed management on the ground should be emphasized. The Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable workshop on Future Directions of Usable Science for Rangeland Sustainability brought together university and agency researchers, public and private land managers and producers, non-governmental organizations, and representatives of funding agencies and organizations to initiate the process of charting a research agenda for future directions of usable science for rangeland sustainability. Workshop outcomes address issues and research questions for soil health, water, vegetation (plants), animals, and socio-economic aspects of rangeland sustainability. A special issue of the journal Rangelands summarizes these outcomes, and will provided to session attendees. Presentations will be followed by a moderated discussion.

Anyone can learn how to use the scientific method in ways that contribute to investigations of how nature works and applying that understanding to develop new technologies. As professional scientists explore the universe, they find instances and places where more hands, eyes, and voices are needed to collect, analyze, and report data: Examples include documenting the biology and chemistry around rivers and lakes, monitoring the weather in sparsely populated regions, or logging the daily course of a disease or exercise regimen. Citizen scientists are increasingly answering the call, be it as enthusiastic hobbyists, STEM students augmenting their learning, or empowered friends and family of medical patients. This panel will discuss how various citizens are enhancing the nation’s scientific enterprise as well as ensuring that the government maximizes its benefits while avoiding any negative impact on the progress of science.

Personal narratives can provide the diversity of voices and values needed to effectively confront the complex challenges of a changing world. In a provocative new essay, award-winning environmental journalist Andrew C. Revkin brings forth one of these vital stories: his own. Chronicling the shifts in his thinking (and writing) over thirty years of covering climate change for outlets like the New York Times, he concludes, surprisingly, “global warming doesn’t worry me.”

Please join us for a wide-ranging conversation with Andrew about the challenges of writing about climate change and making an impact on readers through personal narrative. He will be joined by Lee Gutkind, founding editor of Creative Nonfiction, and Daniel Sarewitz, co-editor of Issues in Science and Technology; Andrew’s essay appears in the current issues of both magazines.

On June 6, 2015, beginning at dawn in the Pacific Islands and ending at dusk in the American Southwest, 10,000 everyday citizens in 76 countries met to participate in the largest-ever public consultation on climate and energy. The results of the World Wide Views on Climate and Energy deliberations offer useful insight into citizens’ perspectives for addressing climate change and effecting a transition to low-carbon energy. On October 22, 2015, we will present and discuss the engagement model, key results, and policy implications of this unprecedented citizen engagement.

Nanotechnology policy discussions will soon enter a third decade. The initial generation focused on setting research priorities, investigating environmental impact, and contemplating societal implications even while improving understanding of the fundamental properties of nanomaterials. As nanotechnology applications increase in number and mature, including biomedical and infrastructural contexts, how should the science policy discussion evolve? This panel will remark on lessons learned, avenues to explore, and possible means forward.

Cultivating public discourse and enlarging policy discussions have been central to our work at ASU’s Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes (CSPO). As the next big international conference on climate change begins this fall in Paris, CSPO is pleased to host a dialog on ways to include perspectives that have not traditionally been part of the climate conversation. A diversity of voices is essential for confronting a problem as enormous as global climate change: engaging with differing perspectives helps discover innovative approaches and gains the support of citizens impacted by climate policies—policies that have often been plagued by divisiveness and gridlock. In discussing models for citizen engagement, including the recent World Wide Views deliberations on climate and energy, and by hearing from viewpoints that are frequently missing in climate debates, this CSPO Conversations event will inform and enrich our approach to climate change.

From Botox to bionic limbs, the human body is more “upgradeable” than ever. But how much of it can we alter and still be human? What do we gain or lose in the process? Haunting and humorous, poignant and political, Fixed rethinks “disability” and “normalcy” by exploring technologies that promise to change our bodies and minds forever. Since its release a little over one year ago, Fixed has screened in film festivals around the world and as a keynote at 7 academic and professional conferences. Most recently the United Nations licensed the film for their work on the Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Climate policy is broken. A huge part of the problem is the way climate change and the policies intended to address it are framed and communicated. Pragmatic and tangible options for tackling climate change are often overlooked in a contentious debate focused on climate change deniers, symbolic actions like opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, and overheated rhetoric about a coming climate apocalypse. This tired narrative seems to have accomplished little beyond breeding cynicism and apathy across a broad swath of the global public. How do we enlarge and enrich this conversation, and take pragmatic steps toward a positive future? Can we connect climate policy and other environmental concerns to actions that provide near-term benefits for society while enhancing our capacity to deal with climate change in the long run?