WASHINGTON, D.C.--In the aftermath of September 11, the science and technology community will be expected to contribute to new counterterrorism efforts. Some of these programs may face new restrictions in access to information or to laboratory procedures. On Thursday, April 11, M.R.C. Greenwood, chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz, will address the consequences of such a trend during the 27th Annual Colloquium for Science and Technology Policy in Washington, D.C.
At the April 11 event, which is sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Greenwood will present the 2002 William D. Carey Lecture, "Risky Business: Research Universities in the Post-9/11 Era." She will ask her audience to consider the balance between the free flow of scientific ideas and results, and the risks associated with restrictions that may be implemented.
Greenwood notes that science has been the driver of most of recent economic growth, and that its integrity must be protected in the midst of trends that risk transforming the system that has produced such high-quality research.
"As a Carey Lecturer, I feel a great honor and an awesome responsibility in being given the privilege to present some challenges and suggest some ideas for ways in which science and technology, and their intersection with national policy, can become more important than ever in the quest for peace, security, and justice," Greenwood said.
Chancellor Greenwood, a visionary and role model for the next generation of great leaders in science policy, has spent a career encouraging women scientists to succeed, and inspiring students to excel in math and science. Greenwood, a past president of the AAAS, was recently named to the Committee on Science and Technology for Countering Terrorism, a group formed by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council. Her research interests in developmental cell biology, genetics, physiology, and science education qualify her to contribute to the discussion of how the world's scientific and technical resources can best be used to combat terrorism.
Greenwood served as associate director for science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President of the United States from November 1993 to May 1995, where she played an integral role by supervising the Science Division, providing direction on programs, and developing a budget for the multibillion-dollar fundamental science national effort.
The William D. Carey Lecture was established in honor of Bill Carey upon his retirement as the executive officer of AAAS. The Lectureship recognizes individuals who in their own way demonstrate and epitomize Carey's leadership in communicating the relationship between public policy issues and science and technology. More information about the Lecture and the Colloquium is available at http://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/rd/colloqu.htm.
Founded in 1848, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) works to advance science for human well-being through its projects, programs, and publications in the areas of science policy, science education, and international scientific cooperation. With over 134,000 members from 130 countries and 273 affiliated societies comprising more than 10 million members, AAAS is the world's largest federation of scientists. The association also publishes Science, an editorially independent, multidisciplinary, weekly peer-reviewed journal that ranks as the world's most prestigious scientific journal, and administers EurekAlert! (http://www.eurekalert.org), the online news service featuring the latest discoveries in science and technology.
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MEDIA NOTE: M.R.C. Greenwood will address the public during the AAAS 27th Annual Science & Technology Policy Colloquium, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, 11 April 2002.
