The Role Of Science Engineering And Technology In The Public Policy Process For Infrastructure And Natural Systems

Interactions between societal, natural, and infrastructure systems can be beneficial or harmful to society. Society benefits from natural systems by being provided with the basic necessities of life (air, water, and food). However, events such as stratospheric ozone depletion demonstrate that society ultimately can be harmed by societal impacts on natural systems. Domain knowledge is developed from observation of natural, societal, and infrastructure systems. Domain knowledge is contained within scientific knowledge and engineering knowledge. Scientific knowledge is gained through structured observation and rigorous analysis of natural and societal systems. Engineering knowledge is partially developed from scientific knowledge and is used to manipulate natural and societal systems. Technology is the application of engineering knowledge. In the past two centuries scientific and engineering knowledge have produced technologies that affect the interaction between societal and natural systems. Although scientists and engineers are in positions to advise on policies to address problems involving societal/natural system interactions, their contributions are not always fully utilized. This research examines feedback mechanisms that describe societal, natural, and infrastructure system interaction to develop an improved understanding of the dynamic interactions between society, natural systems, infrastructure systems, scientific and engineering knowledge, technology, and public policy. These interactions are investing through and opposing case study analysis performed using computer simulation modeling. The stratospheric ozone depletion study represents a case in which domain experts successfully influenced public policy. The U.S. civilian nuclear power study represents a case in which domain experts were less successful in influencing public policy. The system dynamics methodology is used to construct these two highly integrated models of societal-natural system interaction. Individual model sectors, based on existing theory, describe natural/infrastructure systems, knowledge and technology development, societal risk perception, and public policy. The work reveals that the influence of scientists and engineers in the public policy is due in part to their ability to shift dominance between causal feedback mechanisms that seek to minimize societal risk from natural systems and feedback mechanisms that seek to minimize the economic risk of increased regulations. The ability to alter feedback mechanism dominance is not solely dependent upon scientists and engineers ability to develop knowledge but to a larger extent depends on their ability to interact with policy makers and society when describing issues involving natural and infrastructure systems.

Contents: Overview of U.S. Science and Technology Policy; What are Some Perspectives on Science and Technology Policy?; Who Makes Decisions Regarding Science and Technology Policy in Congress?; Who Makes Decisions Regarding Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Branch?; Who Makes Decisions in the Judicial Branch Regarding Science and Technology Policy?; What Organizations Provide Science and Technology Advice to Policymakers?; What Are the Opportunities and Challenges of the Current Science and Technology Policy Decisionmaking Process?. Charts and tables.

Report on the future role of scientists and engineers within a changing science policy in the USA wherein technology is reoriented from military application toward greater effectiveness in solving social problems - includes recommendations. Diagrams.

Science, Technology, and National Policy is the first collection of essays to deal with technology as it relates to, and is influenced by, public policy-making. Bringing together twenty-five of the most significant papers on this topic, the editors seek to provide a broad perspective, to sample the full spectrum of core concerns in technology policy, and to stimulate critical thinking. Part One treats the social, political, economic, and international concerns that affect technology policy. Part Two examines how different government institutions deal with technology, including the federal executive, Congress, courts, and state and local governments. Ideal for professional and course use, this volume offers an excellent framework for discussing and coming to terms with these complex issues.

sustainability, actor-network theory, consumption, ecological modernisation, infrastructure, water, socio-technical systems, environmental ethics

Where should the United States focus its long-term efforts to improve the nation's environment? What are the nation's most important environmental issues? What role should science and technology play in addressing these issues? Linking Science and Technology to Society's Environmental Goals provides the current thinking and answers to these questions. Based on input from a range of experts and interested individuals, including representatives of industry, government, academia, environmental organizations, and Native American communities, this book urges policymakers to: Use social science and risk assessment to guide decision-making. Monitor environmental changes in a more thorough, consistent, and coordinated manner. Reduce the adverse impact of chemicals on the environment. Move away from the use of fossil fuels. Adopt an environmental approach to engineering that reduces the use of natural resources. Substantially increase our understanding of the relationship between population and consumption. This book will be of special interest to policymakers in government and industry; environmental scientists, engineers, and advocates; and faculty, students, and researchers.

Science and Technology Policy theme is a component of Encyclopedia of Technology, Information, and Systems Management Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. Science and technology policy covers all the public sector measures designed for the creation, funding, support, and mobilization of scientific and technological resources. The content of the Theme on Science and technology policy provides the essential aspects and a myriad of issues of great relevance to our world such as: Science and Technology Policy; International Dimensions of Science and Technology Policy; The Innovation System; The Policy Making Process in Science and Technology; Regional Perspectives: A New Scenario for Science and Technology Policies in the Developed and Developing World . These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs

Examining the formulation of American public policies on scientific and technological issues, Barke poses and answers three questions: How do scientific issues become matters of public concern and debate? How is scientific information used in policymaking? and How does the public sector manage scientific endeavors? He uses a general framework of four types of constraints to explore the characteristics of science and technology policies. He applies the framework to Congress, the President and the Executive Office, the bureaucracy, the courts, the public, and scientists as participants in the science and technology process, and discusses the powers, limitations, and interactions with other participants. The author also assesses proposed reforms, and includes case studies covering legislation on hazardous wastes and the Space Telescope, scheduled for launch in l988. ISBN 0-87187-394-X: $10.95.