the current context for science and public policy

The Current Context for Science and Public Policy

EPA STAR FellowsSeptember 22, 2009

The Current Context for Science and Public PolicyEPA STAR Fellows, September 22, 2009

First, a few words about “science policy”

“Science Policy” is an amorphous concept with different meanings to different people (agencies)

Has two forms

The two faces of “science policy”

Policies surrounding the funding and conduct of science

Use of science in making public policy

“Hot” current policy issues surrounding science Budgets

What to do after the stimulus funding “The cliff”

Transformative (high risk-high payoff) research Keeping the pipeline of investigators healthy Conflicts of interest

The two faces of “science policy”

Policies surrounding the funding and conduct of science

Use of science in making public policy

Why do we have science anyway?

To provide natural explanations of the nature and workings of the natural world Whether we like the answers or not!

To improve the human condition

Baseline truism:

Science and technology are ever-more imbedded in every aspect of modern life!

Some major global societal issues Environmentally sustainable development Need for renewable energy sources Information and communications technology Universal access to education Poverty and economic opportunity Technology-based manufacturing and jobs Intellectual property rights Terrorism International security Natural disasters Science and technology capacity building Vaccines and medical therapies against infectious diseases Quality and accessibility of health care

Corollaries:

For people to prosper in modern society, they need fundamental understanding and comfort with S&T

For nations to prosper they need Scientific capacity National policies that reflect the best science

For science to prosper, the science-society relationship must be positive and strong

Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed. Abraham Lincoln

The science-society relationship has not always been smooth

Think Galileo!

The science-society relationship has been rather tense over the last decade

As Charles Dickens would say…..

We’ve been living in the best of times And the worst of times

On the one handWe’re living in the best of scientific times

Advances in science are coming at a fantastic pace

The rate of incremental advance is accelerating New technologies are enabling quantum jumps in

understanding With great practical significance

On the other hand….

Other issues within science are not going so well…and negatively affect the broader (societal) context for science

Incidents of scientific misconduct Human subjects concerns Animal welfare issues Conflict of interest problems

These are factors internal to science

There are problematic external factors as well

People generally still respect science and technology….

Source: Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008

They have little understanding of what is and is not science

60% of Americans believe in extrasensory perception

41% think astrology is somewhat scientific 47% still do not answer “true” to the statement:

“Human beings developed from earlier species of animals”

Science and Engineering Indicators, 2004

Some Americans have reservations about scienceAgree

Disagree

Science makes our way of life change too fast 38 59

Scientific research has created as many problems for society as it has solutions

Scientific research these days doesn’t pay enough attention to the moral values of society

We depend too much on science and not enough on faith

Science and Engineering Indicators, 2006

There’s a lesson here!

People need to know more about science as an enterprise

What makes something scientific? The limits of scientific investigation

Natural explanations of the natural world

Much science-society tension results from conflicts between scientific findings and

Political/economic expediency Core human values

One political (economic) example…

Is there global warming?

2005 was the hottest year on record; the 13 hottest all occurred since 1990, 23 out of the 24 hottest since 1980.

J. Hansen et al., PNAS 103: 14288-293 (26 Sept 2006)

Green bars show 95% confidence intervals

The Earth continues to get hotter

Within science, whether the earth is warming is no longer controversial

What to do about it is controversial!

Science-society tension results from conflicts between scientific findings and

Political/economic expediency Core human values

Current scientific issues that abut against core values

Embryonic stem cell research Studying “personal” topics

Sex Genetics of behavior

Teaching “Intelligent Design” versus evolution in science classrooms

Neuroscience – mind/body issues

L. Chang, M.D., T. Ernst, Ph.D., O. Speck, Ph.D.Harbor-UCLA Medical CenterGenerating words (left brain dominant)

LeftLeft

RightRight

DorsalDorsal

VentralVentralAnteriorAnterior

posteriorposteriorLL

SMASMA

Broca’s areaBroca’s area

Parietal CortexParietal Cortex

Functional MRI of a “normal” subject writing a talk

Chang, et al.

“Conflict” with politics and values has consequences for the science-society relationship

Creating a growing divide between science and the rest of society

Society wants to exert too much influence on what science is done

These conflicts get played out in policy settings!

We need to bring science to policymakers

That means you!

Policymakers (often/typically) reflect their constituents

And therefore the science-society tension/conflict can make for non-rational policy

What to do about the science-society tension?

We always feel we need more “public education” about science

But we can’t just “educate” our way out of today’s tough issues

The problem is not just lack of understanding People do understand much of what we’re saying or

want to do They don’t like it

The conflict with their core values trumps their view of societal benefits

What can we do?

Continue protesting/lamenting the situation The problem is not going to go away “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and

expecting a different outcome”

What can we do?

Continue protesting/lamenting the situation Adopt a more assertive strategy

Engage with the public on the issues Try to find common ground

Public PublicUnderstanding Engagement

Communicating Communicating to the public with the public

We need to change not only the style and content but also the intent of the conversation:

We need to listen to the public about:

Their concerns about science and technology and their concomitants Risks and benefits Encroachment on human values

Their priorities among research areas Questions they would like or need us to answer

Help frame the research agenda

Who’s going to do all this?

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Founded in 1848 World’s largest general scientific society

Spans all of science, engineering and technology Global in membership and reach 130,000 individual members 262 affiliated societies and academies of science Represents some 10 million scientists worldwide

Publisher of Science Founded in 1880 by Thomas Edison One million readers per week

AAAS Mission:

To advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people Advancing science, serving society

Adopted by the AAAS Board, August 2007

AAAS Strategic Goals Enhance communication among

scientists, engineers, and the public

Promote and defend the integrity of science and its use

Strengthen support for the science and technology enterprise

Provide a voice for science on societal issues

Promote the responsible use of science in public policy

Strengthen and diversify the science and technology workforce

Foster education in science and technology for everyone

Increase public engagement with science and technology

Advance international cooperation in science

Adopted by the AAAS Board, August 2007

AAAS Program Activities (Policy)

Policy Fellowships for Scientists and Engineers R&D Budget Analysis Science and Human Rights Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and the Law Research Competitiveness Service Center for Science, Technology and the Congress Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy Center for Science, Innovation and Sustainability

We are working hard at engagement with both policymakers and the public

AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology Town meetings Family science days Topical public workshops Meet the scientists events Broadcast opportunities Partnerships with science museum and centers Active outreach

Clubs Residential communities Religious institutions

AAAS “Glocal” strategy

Working with local opinion leaders and resources(AAAS “Glocal” Strategy)

Local media and op-eds Clergy School officials Local government leaders/politicians Science museums and centers Community groups Town meetings

= “Intelligent design” initiative eruption

= AAAS intervention

= “Intelligent design” initiative eruption

= AAAS intervention

There has been some progress at the local level Dover, PA, case Ohio school board reversed requirement on curriculum criticizing

evolution Wisconsin bill to require teaching evolution Kansas’ Manhattan-Ogden School District’s refusal to adopt new

standards Failure of Utah to pass anti-evolution curriculum bill Oklahoma bill died in committee South Carolina education standards (including evolution)

affirmed Failure in Nevada to amend constitution to require teaching

“strengths and weaknesses” of evolution Failure of some “Academic Freedom” bills

Lessons for science and policy

Engaging with both policymakers and the public involves learned skills

We need to tell our students it’s good to do!! We need to build them into our training programs!

AAAS offers some training activities

Online communication training Regional training workshops for scientists and

engineers Partnership with NSF

Lessons for science and policy:

Things need to be made personally meaningful to people Go glocal

Never debate an ideologue Only we care about the integrity of science If people don’t like what science is showing, they do feel

free to ignore or deny it We need to teach about the enterprise of science, not just

content

Scientists must stick to the facts

Do not go outside your specific area of expertise Do not express your personal values Find easily understood ways to connote your

meaning No jargon, no nuances

Never violate the data

It’s a shame scientists are also people

The fact that some scientists believe something does not automatically make it scientific…..

Don’t let ideologues redefine science!

We Need to Equilibrium to the Science-Society Relationship

We Need You!

the current context for science and public policy

hottercwithin science

engineering indicators

public education

human beings

donethese conflicts

hottest year

itthe conflict

global warming

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