Future policy makers need science too: Participatory learning for nonscience majors

CHED 119

Kira JM Matus, kira_matus@ksgphd.harvard.edu, Science, Environment, Development Group; Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA 02138 and William C Clark, william_clark@harvard.edu, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Kennedy School of Government, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA 02138.
“Introduction to Environmental Science and Public Policy” is a required part of the interdisciplinary undergraduate concentration in Environmental Science and Public Policy. The students are predominantly freshmen and sophomores with a wide variety of academic backgrounds. The course introduces students to the analysis of environmental policy issues with a strong technical component through a series of participatory cases focused on local environmental issues. Cases have included “What should Harvard serve for dinner?” and “What is the appropriate use of biofuels on campus?” Students interact with and advise the relevant decision makers, and also consult technical experts and other members of the community involved. They are pushed to think about broader social trends, the evaluation of competing technical and scientific claims, systems thinking, and the inclusion of multiple stakeholders. The course helps non-scientists become comfortable with mobilizing technical information while allowing them to contribute valuable policy analysis to the community.
 

Community Outreach and Service Learning through Green Chemistry
8:30 AM-11:55 AM, Monday, August 20, 2007 Seaport -- Plaza A, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007