1. The Areas of Our Expertise
Science Policy, Values, and Communication
Andrew Plemmons Pratt, managing editor,
Science Progress <scienceprogress.org>
Center for American Progress

2. What is Science Progress?

4. Points of intersection
1. More scientific information does not
equal good policy outcomes.
2. Science and values are not
separate.
3. Neither science nor ethics alone
can answer many policy questions.

5. More information about a scientific
issue doesn't lead to positive policy
outcomes.
"This model of scientific engagement with the public
obviously isn’t working."
Rick Borchelt and Kathy Hudson, "Engaging the Scientific
Community With the Public," ScienceProgress.org

6. More information about a scientific
issue doesn't lead to positive policy
outcomes.

7. The "deficit" model:
What does this say?...

8. ...vs. this?

9. Sources
or
or

10. Different authorities

11. Framing
"[F]rames simplify complex issues by lending greater
weight to certain considerations and arguments over
others. Framing is an unavoidable reality of the
science communication process."
Bubela et al., "Science Communication Reconsidered,"
Nature Biotechnology 27, 514 - 518 (2009)

12. A few frames for climate change
human health
agriculture
food security
ocean health & fisheries
flooding & sea level rise
water scarcity
severe storms
fires & drought
sustainability
creation stewardship
moral responsibility
pollution
jobs
international competitiveness
energy security

13. Framing
Climate & Energy Legislation, 111th Congress
2009:
Senate:
Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S.
1733)
House:
American Clean Energy and Security Act
(H.R.2454)
2010:
?

14. Science and values are not separate.
A stem cell example:
Former NIH Director President G.W. Bush Stem cell cultures,
Elias Zerhouni U. Wisconsin, Madison

15. Science and values are not
separate.
A stem cell example:
“If human embryonic stem cell
research does not make you at least a
little bit uncomfortable, you have not
thought about it enough,” he said. “I
thought long and hard about
whether I would do it.”
The New York Times, Nov. 2007
James A. Thomson

16. Scientists make ethical decisions all
the time.
Why did you go into an area of research?
How do you select and present experimental
data transparently?
How is your work funded and does that present
conflicts of interest?
How does oversight protect people who are the
subjects of your research?

17. Science and values are not
separate.
Who is speaking here?
"It’s very hard for me to have a
conversation about these issues, because
?
people adopt incredibly defensive
postures…The scientists on one side and
civil-society organizations on the
other. And, to be fair to those groups,
science has often proceeded by
skipping the dialogue."

19. Science and values are not
separate.
Who is speaking here?
"It’s very hard for me to have a
conversation about these issues, because
people adopt incredibly defensive
postures…The scientists on one side and
civil-society organizations on the
other. And, to be fair to those groups,
science has often proceeded by
Drew Endy skipping the dialogue."
The New Yorker, "A Life of Its Own"
Sept. 2009

20. Synbio & anti-malarial artemisinin
Artemisinin
(via Wikipedia)

21. Synbio & anti-malarial artemisinin
Source: malaria.com

22. iGEM 2009 @ MIT

23. Neither science nor ethics alone
can answer many policy questions.
Stephen Jay Gould

24. non-overlapping magisteria
science religion/
ethics

25. policy &
bioethics
science religion/
ethics

26. Ethical, legal, and social issues in
the human genome project
Craig Venter,
President Clinton,
Francis Collins
(AP/ Ron Edmonds)

27. Cloning
Cloned sheep
(AP/ Claire Arron)

28. Points of intersection @
1. Start with data & evidence.
2. Combine science and ethics.
3. Science policy @ the intersection of
science, ethics, and effective
communication.

30. The Areas of Our Expertise
Science Policy, Values, and Communication
Andrew Plemmons Pratt, managing editor,
Science Progress <scienceprogress.org>
Center for American Progress