Public Engagement for Informing Science and Technology Policy: What Do We Know, What Do We Need to Know, and How Will We Get There?

This article examines social science relevant to public engagements and identifies the challenges to the goal of meaningful public input into science and technology policy. Specifically, when considering “which forms, features, and conditions of public engagement are optimal for what purposes, and w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Review of policy research Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 197 - 217
Main Authors PytlikZillig, Lisa M., Tomkins, Alan J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.03.2011
Policy Studies Organization
SeriesReview of Policy Research
Subjects
Citizen Participation
Conversation
Management
Participation
Policy Making
Political participation
public engagement
Science
Science and Technology
science and technology policy
Social aspects
Social Sciences
Technology
Technology and state
Technology Policy
Values
United States
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Summary:This article examines social science relevant to public engagements and identifies the challenges to the goal of meaningful public input into science and technology policy. Specifically, when considering “which forms, features, and conditions of public engagement are optimal for what purposes, and why?” we find social science has not clarified matters. We offer a model to guide systematic research that defines and empirically connects variations in features and types of public engagement activities to specifically defined variations in effective processes and outcomes. The specification of models, as we have done, will guide policy makers, practitioners, and the public in determining what kinds of engagement techniques are optimal for what kinds of purposes. Our model is presented to start conversations and inspire research that in the future should help to ensure meaningful public participation that meets the promise of contributing thoughtful societal values and perspectives into governmental policies impacting science and technology research.
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ArticleID:ROPR489
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This research was supported in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant Numbers CMMI‐0709333, IIS‐0535255, and SBE‐0965465. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. We acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our colleagues at the Public Policy Center, Tarik Abdel‐Monem, Joseph Hamm, Mitchel Herian, Jamie Marincic, Sarah Michaels, and Mario Scalora, as well as Peter Muhlberger from Texas Tech University, related to issues of public engagement, and to Yuris Dzenis, Susan Poser, and Joseph Turner for their contributions to issues related to nanotechnology.
Portions of this work were presented as “Public Engagement for Informing Science and Technology Policy: What Do We Know, and What Do We Need to Know?” at Policy Studies Organization's Dupont Summit, “The New Administration's Challenges on Science & Technology: Staying the Course in Times of Crisis,” Washington, DC (December 2009).
Author Note: Lisa M. PytlikZillig and Alan J. Tomkins, Public Policy Center, University of Nebraska. Author order alphabetical.
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ISSN:1541-132X
1541-1338
1541-1338
DOI:10.1111/j.1541-1338.2011.00489.x