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Science & Society Wants to Connect Researchers With the Public

New unit launches Masters' program, blog, events to build dialogue

Duke University Science & Society.jpg
Science & Society is one of three units growing out of the Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy

To get a handle on the scope of a new Duke initiative encouraging scientists to speak out on issues affecting the public, consider these two scenarios:

In the first scenario, rich people receive "neural implants" to boost their memories and skills, leading to what Duke research fellow Andrew Darnell calls "further stratification of social classes and elimination of upward social mobility."

In the second, forensic investigators use DNA fragments to reconstruct the faces of disaster victims or criminals, bringing society "another step closer to improving science over traditional witnesses," according to Duke research fellow Sara Katsanis.

Along with several Duke colleagues, Darnell and Katsanis have begun discussing online how scientific advances confront society with many such legal, political and ethical challenges. Their blog ranges from how DNA might help identify sex workers at the Winter Olympics to the public cancer battle of ESPN anchor Stuart Scott.

The blog illustrates the larger ambitions of its campus sponsor, Duke Science & Society, which aims to expand the numbers of Duke researchers sharing their expertise and voices with society.

"Duke has a unique opportunity to show how scientists can translate their work for the public and have a meaningful impact on public discussions of important issues," said Nita Farahany, who chairs the campus-wide effort. A professor of law and philosophy who also serves on the U.S. Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Farahany established the blog and is now developing programs to train Duke researchers and students to interact more effectively with journalists, legislators and other audiences.

The larger initiative will promote interdisciplinary education, engagement and scholarship to ensure that scientific research delivers tangible benefits to society. Most prominent among its initial offerings will be a new master's degree program on bioethics and science policy, which begins in the fall. That program will teach students how to analyze and propose solutions to complex problems at the intersection of science, technology and ethics.

In addition, Duke Science and Society will host speakers and organize workshops at which researchers, students and others across the campus can discuss hot-button issues involving science. Its April 2 program, for instance, was titled "Rage Against the FDA Machine."

"We want to bring empirical evidence and expertise to bear on social governance and policy, and to embed the ethical, legal and social implications of science in science education," Farahany said. "Too often, people don't understand the context in which science is being developed. Scientists have to do a better job of explaining their work and why it matters to people. It's also essential for a liberal arts education to embrace this broader perspective."

Officially appointed to the position last summer, Farahany has been meeting for the past several months with colleagues across Duke to connect Science and Society to existing campus units on ethics, brain sciences, social sciences, law, public policy, medicine and other areas. The initiative moved to center stage in March when the university said it would be among three major units emerging from the former Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy.

Farahany has also remained active personally in addressing scientific issues with wider audiences, such as through a recent "Brains on Trial" series on PBS, in which she discussed with host Alan Alda how advances in neuroscience may affect the criminal justice system.