Science and Technology Innovation Program
Events
Trends in Synthetic Biology Research Funding in the United States and Europe
A 2010 analysis by the Synthetic Biology Project found that the U.S. government spent around $430 million on research related to synthetic biology since 2005, with the Department of Energy funding a majority of the research. By comparison, the analysis indicated that the European Union and three individual European countries – the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Germany – had spent approximately $160 million during that same period. Approximately 4 percent of the U.S. funding and 2 percent of the European funding was being spent to explore ethical, legal, and social implications of synthetic biology, but no projects focused on risk assessment.
Wilson Center Launches New Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies
In partnership with the Pew CharitableTrusts, the Wilson Center will work with industry, academia, NGOs, and others to explore the future of nanotechnologies and their implications for the environment and human health.
Internships with the Science and Technology Innovation Program - Documentary Film Internship
Intern with STIP and assist with our video and media projects.
The Wisdom of Gamers
January 2007 - How many players does it take to balance the budget? David Rejeski wants you to put on your game face.
Privacy and Missing Persons after Natural Disasters
When a natural disaster occurs, government agencies, humanitarian organizations, private
companies, volunteers, and others collect information about missing persons to aid the search
effort. Often this processing of information about missing persons exacerbates the complexities
and uncertainties of privacy rules. This report offers a roadmap to the legal and policy issues surrounding privacy and missing persons following natural disasters.
Geoengineering for Decision Makers
Geoengineering invloves large-scale and deliberate techniques or interventions used in combination with civil engineering to affect the earth's climate, oceans, soils, and living systems, specifically to counteract global warming. This 2011 report from the Science and Technology Innovation Program reviews the challenges of geoengineering governance and argues for giving much greater attention to upstream governance strategies. Ten concerns about geoengineering are outlined including the potential for unintended consequences, the potential for ineffectiveness, the risk of sudden catastrophic warning and equity issues, among others.
