CSPO Conversations

Join us for the launch of the Summer 2017 Issues in Science and Technology!

Richard Van Atta, an adjunct research staff member at the Institute for Defense Analyses and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, will discuss what we can learn from the Defense Department and DARPA—about effective partnerships, priorities, and policymaking—in advancing innovation in a variety of essential fields. By partnering with private industry and academia on mission-driven goals, DARPA pioneered some of today’s most vital technologies, including the internet, GPS, and autonomous vehicles.

Drawing from his essay in the Spring 2017 Issues in Science and Technology and from his new book, What Algorithms Want: Imagination in the Age of Computing, Ed Finn will explore how computer-generated knowledge is affecting scientific research, and how humans can become better users and architects of these powerful algorithms.

In science journalism, topics like genetically modified organisms, climate change, and vaccines have become so controversial that reporting on them can endanger one’s career. How have we gotten here? What are the consequences of such a toxic situation? What deeper disagreements are at play in these scientific controversies? Will understanding them help society address these broader issues?

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.