Recent CSPO News

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  Rethinking Science, Policy: The Series

  How do we know what science is “the right science” to do? How can we effectively orient the vast research enterprise to make real progress toward societal goals?

  The goal of this seminar series is to help science policy “grow up, and quickly,” by catalyzing discussions and collaborations between science policy researchers and decision makers about new ideas and approaches for improving the social value of science and technology.

  Seminars are free and held at the ASU Washington Center, 1800 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 from 8:30am–10:30am (breakfast provided). Presentation starts promptly at 9:00am. Seating is limited
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  Highlighting public voices in CDR decision making

  The If, the How and the Whether of Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies

  CSPO; the Museum of Science, Boston; the University of Calgary; and other ECAST project partners join forces with diverse experts and everyday citizens to inform decision making on carbon dioxide removal technology.

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  How Would You Defend the Planet From Asteroids?

  When NASA collaborated with social scientists to engage the public in two-way conversations about the agency’s Asteroid Initiative, the outcome surprised everyone.

  In a pioneering approach to public engagement, NASA and a group of social scientists brought citizens together to weigh in on how the taxpayer-funded agency might approach some technical decisions involving asteroids. How citizens came to engage with strategies for planetary defense—and the unexpected conclusions they reached—was the result of successfully navigating different institutional cultures, extensive preparation, scrambling to meet deadlines, and more than a little serendipity.

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  Public Value Evidence for Public Value Outcomes

  Integrating Public Values into Federal Policymaking

  In a policy memo for the Day One Project, Michelle Govani, Nicholas Weller, and CSPO associate director Mahmud Farooque lay out a plan of action for the federal government to broaden institutional capacity to collect and integrate evidence on public values into policy and decision making.

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  A Prehistory of Social Media

  The grassroots origins of the social internet

  Kevin Driscoll’s essay in Issues in Science & Technology tells the story of early online communities and reveals the social and technical origins of today’s social media. The history offers insights on how we might build healthier online communities that are more just, equitable, and inclusive.