About
We are a multidisciplinary organization of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows hosted by the Graduate School that provides a unique opportunity for dialogue about the impact of science in our world. FOSEP continues to be an exciting and rewarding way of developing leadership skills for us, its graduate student and postdoctoral members. FOSEP also presents educational opportunities about the intersection of science and society for other members of the UW and greater Seattle community. FOSEP is unique and, as far as we know the first organization of its kind.
Science affects nearly every aspect of American policy. Several major challenges faced by society have solutions that are based on science, yet there is little emphasis within the scientific community to educate the general public about science, or to educate scientists in training about policy and communication. We believe FOSEP can successfully reach and educate the general public on science and science policy issues, and just as importantly educate ourselves, its student members, about the intersection of science and society in a way that it not accessible within a traditional graduate education. To improve the impression of science in culture and the support of scientific research among taxpayers and policy makers, scientists must engage in effective science communication and participate in science policy. With this mission, FOSEP is training the citizen scientists of the future.
2009 FOSEP leaders
- Alex Berezow
- Elaine Hillenmeyer, Bioengineering
- Maris Lemba, Bioengineering
- Andy McMillan, Biochemistry
- Catharine Riley
- Kate Stoll, Biochemistry
- Phil Rosenfield, Astronomy
- Sara Bender, Oceanography
2008-2009 annual report
Since its inception in early 2004, FOSEP has hosted well over one hundred different events targeted to its members, the local academic community, policymakers, and the public at large. Each of these events fostered communication between the target audience and experts in a wide variety of fields about the social, economic, political and ethical aspects of a broad range of scientific and technological endeavors. With a highly motivated pool of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, FOSEP organizes and provides resources to put on excellent programs otherwise not available at the University of Washington.
FOSEP provides unique and essential professional development opportunities for UW graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. FOSEP trains its members to explore the intersection between science, society, and policy, a distinct opportunity not found in the traditional graduate education. Our seminars and forums bring national experts to the University of Washington in a fashion that provides close communication between our graduate students and these experts on a wide range of science and society issues, while maintaining our commitment to being non-partisan and non-advocacy. Our small group discussions often feature local experts and provide opportunities for multi-disciplinary dialogue among students and post-docs. Our members maintain our website, www.fosep.org, which has become a popular resource for information on local events and current readings that focus on science ethics and policy topics.
During the 2008-09 academic year, FOSEP continued its mission to increase dialogue about science and society by holding over fifteen events, and participating in many more. We hosted seminars on a wide range of topics including science and the media and K-12 science education. We were honored to host Robert Eisenstein, Director of the Santa Fe Alliance for science who spoke about the importance of science education and scientists’ and society’s responsibility to address early education. We organized a well attended public forum called US Energy Policy: Priorities for the Next Administration in which we gathered five experts from around the country to discuss the science, economics, and environmental impacts of current and future energy policy. Our panel included former Chief of Staff for the House Committee on Science, David Goldston and global warming expert and director of the Joint Institute for Study of Atmosphere and Ocean, Dr. Tom Ackerman. Additionally, our members have had the unique opportunity to have small group discussions with many local experts on topics as diverse as toxicology policy, public funding of science, and alternate science careers.
We have exciting events in the works for the 2009-2010 academic year including a seminar about renewable energy and policy by Dr. Daniel Kammen of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory of UC Berkeley. We’re also looking forward to hosting Dr. Michael Webber of the University of Texas at Austin to share his expertise on water resource policy, and UW’s own Dr. Stephen Gardiner of the Department of Philosophy to discuss the ethics of climate change and obligations of scientists to share their research with society. We anticipate organizing another public forum on nano-technology or the contribution of science and technological innovation towards economic stability.
We appreciate your interest and support of FOSEP and invite you to read about our interesting events in the past year and our vision for the next.
Download it here