Issues in Science and Technology

In seeking to develop a coordinated national disaster research program, don’t overlook the work of NHERI DesignSafe, which “provides large-scale experimentation, simulation, reconnaissance, social science, and cyberinfrastructure expertise along with access to resources, tools, a data repository, and high-performance computers.” https://lnkd.in/gV7MVM89

When it comes to dealing with new and increasing disaster risks, Bryan Falchuk argues that “insurance offers a unique potential to drive change in building codes and rebuilding decisions, creating incentives for property owners to favor more resilient materials, designs, and locations.” https://lnkd.in/gYcEA2Ph

Read about our podcast miniseries #NotNowButSoon, hosted by Malka Older, and get a peek at upcoming episodes: https://lnkd.in/gWUCfFp2

When the National Institutes of Health announced its intention to cap the indirect costs of research, an ad hoc group of organizations joined forces to develop a more transparent model. Kelvin Droegemeier, Barbara Snyder, Tobin Smith, Nancy Andrews, Willie E. May, Kurt Marek, and Farin Kamangar tell the story. https://lnkd.in/gUcUC3r9

If humans are to have a persistent presence in space, argue Bhavya Lal and Roger Myers, PhD, nuclear power is a necessity: “The future of US human space activities, including any sustained presence on the Moon and a human mission to Mars, requires the continuous, robust power that only nuclear fission can provide.”

“People don’t want to be an audience for science—they want to be partners in shaping how science serves our collective future,” argues Elizabeth Christopherson. “The need for change—and how to get there—is inspiring growing cross-sector collaborations under the umbrella of civic science.” https://lnkd.in/ghjbVueK

“History shows that when it comes to space nuclear power, the United States is far better at setting goals than seeing them through,” write Bhavya Lal and Roger Myers, PhD. Building on their extensive experience, they recommend ways to achieve NASA’s ambitious goal of landing a working nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030. https://lnkd.in/g6mpYBs6

“The current political situation has galvanized a movement for greater public engagement with science,” writes Jayatri Das. “However, we will be shortsighted if we pursue this goal primarily for political ends. Public engagement may indeed yield political benefits. But if we are to build a new, more participatory model of science, we must invest in the effort because it will ultimately improve science.” https://lnkd.in/g2WxmmY9

Gender inequality is a disaster, argues Julisa Tambunan. On the latest #NotNowButSoon episode, she talks with host Malka Older about how she uses data to advocate for policies that center the lived experiences of women, girls, and underrepresented minorities. https://lnkd.in/gfAYxcPY

A new kind of nonprofit science start-up, the Focused Research Organization, seeks to resolve particular bottlenecks in the research enterprise. After launching almost a dozen FROs, Adam Marblestone, Anastasia Gamick, Mary Wang, and Joseph Fridman have an idea of what works—and what doesn’t. https://lnkd.in/ggBJY-jg