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Science, Technology and Public Policy

Summary

A graduate course co-convened by the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) and the Crawford School of Public Policy

label Course type

Course type

Professional short course

Taught as POGO8138/VCPG8138, and a Professional Workshop Series. 

*This course is not offered in 2024. 

Science, Technology & Public Policy – Professional Short Course

Advances in scientific knowledge and technological innovation create challenges and opportunities for public policy in all sectors. To address them, policy professionals increasingly need to grapple with diverse and complex forms of evidence and expertise to make judgments in the public interest. Are your analytical skills up to date for this environment?

What types and sources of expertise do you need to access to articulate public policy questions raised by developments in science and technology? How can you critically assess and synthesise them to develop sound policy-relevant judgments?

This short course provides the skills and knowledge you need to navigate the interface between science, technology and public policy for your work in the public service, learned academies, research agencies, professional associations or public communication.

Format

Workshops 1 and 2 will provide the foundations for case studies to be explored in subsequent workshops 3-6. Each 2-hour workshop will be preceded by a 1-hour live panel discussion with guest experts from different domains of science, technology and public policy.

  1. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: the Role of Science and Expertise
  2. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Governing Emerging Technologies
  3. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Data and Data Governance
  4. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Climate and Energy Transitions
  5. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Health and Biomedical Technology
  6. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Gene-editing for Environmental Biosecurity

Online materials for each topic will consist of curated readings and pre-recorded talks, made available 1 week before each workshop. Course participants will need to review these materials prior to attending the corresponding workshop.

Workshops will be co-facilitated by the course convener, Prof Sujatha Raman (CPAS Director of Research and UNESCO Chair-holder in Science Communication for the Public Good) and Dr Christiane Gerblinger (Commonwealth Department of Treasury & Sir Roland Wilson Foundation alumna) 

Note: If you are an ANU postgraduate student wanting to take this course for credit, please see here.

The short course, without assessment and not for ANU credit, is run concurrently and registered in advance.

Any questions? Email scicomm.gradprog@anu.edu.au

Workshops

Workshop 1. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: the Role of Science and Expertise

Workshop 2. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Governing Emerging Technologies

Workshop 3. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Data and Data Governance

Workshop 4. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Climate and Energy Transitions

Workshop 5. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Health and Biomedical Technology

Workshop 6. Policy Judgment in the Public Interest: Gene-editing for Environmental Biosecurity