Gene Whitney Assistant Director for Environment Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive...
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![Page 1: Gene Whitney Assistant Director for Environment Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President COMMUNICATING GEOSCIENCES TO.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022082818/56649ee45503460f94bf385f/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Gene Whitney
Assistant Director for Environment Office of Science and Technology Policy
Executive Office of the President
COMMUNICATING GEOSCIENCES TO POLICYMAKERS:
PERSPECTIVE FROM OSTP
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OFFICE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLICYEXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Dr. John H. Marburger III, Director and President’s Science Advisor
50 staff20 Ph.D. scientists
OSTP dual roles:
1. Reactive: Ensure that President and Administration officials are fully informed about current scientific and technical issues (many!)
2. Pro-active: Develop interagency strategies to implement President’s science and technology priorities.
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Aquaculture
Human Subjects Research
IWG Dom. Animal Genomics
IWG Plant Genome
Global Change Research
US Group on Earth Observations
Technology Dev.
Nanoscale Science, Eng.& Technology
Biotechnology
Aerospace
Networking Information & Technology
National Security R&D
Radiological/Nuclear Countermeasures
International
Social, Behavioral & Econ.
Infrastructure
IWG Physics of the Universe
WMD Medical Countermeasures
Standards
Health and the Environment.
Large Scale Science
Education & Workforce Dev.
Research Business Models
Disaster Reduction
Ecosystems
Toxics & Risks
Water Availability & Quality
Air Quality Research
Oceans
NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCILNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCILCommittees, Subcommittees and Working GroupsCommittees, Subcommittees and Working Groups
Future of Land Imaging
Science Env. & Nat. Res. Technology Nat. & Home Sec.
Key Earth science components
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Some Earth Science Issues of National and Global Concern
• Climate change • mechanisms (e.g., paleoclimate)• impacts (e.g., disasters)• mitigation (e.g., carbon sequestration)
• Water availability and quality• Energy supply / materials supply• Nuclear waste disposal - Yucca Mountain• Earth observations & monitoring• Natural hazards and disasters• Coastal and ocean processes and management• Earth science from space and planetary science• Etc.
![Page 5: Gene Whitney Assistant Director for Environment Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President COMMUNICATING GEOSCIENCES TO.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022082818/56649ee45503460f94bf385f/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Scientist brain:
Data Interpretation Hypothesis Test
………. ± Position
Politician brain:
Position Search for support Data
HOW BRAINS WORK
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EconomicsLaws &
Regulations
DomesticPolitics Science &
Technology
DECISION orPOLICY
InternationalPolitics
MoralsEthics
How decisionsare made:
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How do policy makers become informed about scientific issues?
1. Individual study
2. Staff work
3. Expert briefings or testimony*
4. Dialog with or tutorials from scientists*
* Involvement of scientists or societies
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Why are you communicating with policy makers or decision makers?
To inform a policy or decision
To persuade?
Who should do it?
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FIVE SKILLS A SCIENTIST NEEDS TO INFORM POLICY
(1) Ability to communicate technical issues in layman's terms.
(2) Ability to communicate the uncertainty inherent in scientific information without sending the message that there is no “right answer”.
(3) Ability to effectively communicate possible consequences or outcomes of decisions using scenarios.
(4) Ability to understand how scientific information might be used (or misused) by proponents of either side of an issue.
(5) Ability to actively participate in a highly confrontational or contentious policy debate without losing sight of the objective scientific evidence.
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TEN STEPS FOR SCIENTISTS TO AFFECT POLICY
1. Identify the real decision makers – not always obvious.
2. Identify other scientific participants – know what they are thinking.
3. Anticipate – don’t wait for panic mode – early information is the best information, but provide it when they need it.
4. Face-to-face is better than paper or e-mail (& more difficult).
5. Establish technical credibility – stay in your lane.
6. Establish political credibility – know the context of the issue.
7. Offer to help – be a resource. Follow up.
8. Understand the calendar for budgets and legislation.
9. Learn the rules of institutions – yours and theirs.
10.Keep working and be persistent – nothing happens quickly and rarely on the first try (don’t try to “win the lottery”).
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Some intangibles in the process……(just suggestions, not rules…)
1. Try to get to know decision makers and their staff before you make a request.
2. Have a specific goal or specific request; policymakers are busy and don’t want to chat or deal with long laundry lists.
3. Make short presentations (30 minutes) and leave concise materials (1-pagers).
4. Understand the authority and limitations of a policymaker’s role in addressing your science issues.
5. Put yourself in their shoes; what else are they worried about?
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SUMMARY
• Key federal policymakers include Congress and staff, Administration officials and staff, agency officials and staff.
• Policymakers need scientists to inform rational policy development.
• Scientists need policymakers to implement a scientific vision or to support institutions.
• Reliable, timely information is the currency of DC.
• We must work together to achieve goals that are in the best interest of the Nation.