Workshop to Explore Engaging Broader Publics in Conversations About Assessment of the Societal Implications of New and Emerging Directions in Science and Technology

波士顿科学博物馆与亚利桑那州立大学、伍德罗·威尔逊国际学者中心、洛卡研究所和科学公民网合作，正在举办一个为期1.5天的讲习班，其目标是加强和扩大最近的跨部门网络建设活动，这些活动涉及让公众参与关于评估科学和技术的社会影响的对话和审议。大约有20多人参加，他们代表了广泛的非正式科学教育专业人员、STEM研究人员和科学政策专家。研讨会的重点是：(1)公民参与技术评估的技术，(2)非正规教育组织如何处理STEM与个人和社会决策的交集，以及(3)利用其他正在探索公众参与未来技术的人所做工作的模式。这一进程还将有助于产生和整合2012年生物多样性全球观点计划的想法，该计划是一项国际努力，旨在让公众参与到世界范围内生物多样性丧失的主题中来。研讨会的成果将由博物馆的研究和评估部进行评估。

The Museum of Science, Boston, in partnership with Arizona State University, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Loka Institute, and Scienceforcitizens.net, is conducting a 1.5-day workshop whose goal is to strengthen and expand recent cross-sector network-building activities related to engaging the public in conversations and deliberations about the assessment of the societal implications of science and technology. In attendance are about two-dozen participants representing a wide range of informal science education professionals, STEM researchers, and science policy experts. The workshop is focusing on: (1) techniques for citizen participation in technology assessment, (2) ways in which informal educational organizations are addressing the intersection of STEM with personal and societal decision-making, and (3) models for leveraging work done by others who are exploring public engagement with future technologies. The process will also help generate and coalesce ideas for the 2012 World-Wide Views on Biodiversity program, an international effort to engage the public on the topic of world-wide loss of biodiversity. The workshop outcomes will be evaluated by the Museum's Research and Evaluation Department.