STEM Speaker Series: “Should research have societal impact? Re-evaluating broader impacts with the Inclusion-Immediacy Criterion” with Dr. Thomas Woodson

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Clara Tran

Date: 10/06/2020

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location
Zoom

Description

Should research have societal impact? Re-evaluating broader impacts with the Inclusion-Immediacy Criterion

Abstract

A major goal of government and non-profit scientific funding agencies is to support research and development (R&D) that has societal impact. The US National Science Foundation requires all grants to discuss their broader impacts and in Europe, policymakers and scientists assess the ethical value of research through the lens of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). Despite the prevalence of impact-based research funding and evaluation, these types of programs are not universally popular and there are steady debates about the importance of them. This presentation debates some of the pros and cons of evaluating research based on impact and then discusses a new evaluation framework called the Inclusion-Immediacy Criterion (IIC). The IIC better determines whether research helps marginalized communities, reduces inequality, and encourages inclusive innovation.

About the Speaker

Dr. Thomas S. Woodson is an assistant professor in the Department of Technology and Society at Stony Brook University. He investigates the effects of technology on inequality throughout the world and the causes/consequences of inclusive innovation. For the past 3 years he has focused on the relationship between innovation and inequality in 4 areas: nanotechnology, 3D printing, science funding and engineering education. Dr. Woodson received his B.S.E in electrical engineering from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Public Policy for the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).