In this presentation, we will examine how each of us can increase the public value of science in what are very challenging times for many of us. I first emphasize the importance of fidelity, causality, and transparency as a basis for credibility in contested or politicized environments. I then describe the different ways that people hear and interpret information about science and convey strategies for communicating more effectively. I close by describing broader strategies for engaging with the public. Working in these ways can increase the public value of scientific work at any stage of a career. Ideas like these can help any of us conduct and communicate research that is better suited to help people take actions that are more consistent with their aspirations -- and in so doing provide an incredible form of service to individuals and communities around the world.
About the speaker
Arthur Lupia is the Gerald R Ford Distinguished University Professor at the University of Michigan. His research examines how people make decisions when they lack information. His areas of expertise include information processing, coalition building, and strategic communication.
He has led or worked with a wide range of scientific and public organizations to improve quality of life through better management strategies and more effective communication. He is a member of the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust. From 2019 to 2021, he co-chaired the Subcommittee on Open Science for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. From 2018 to 2022, served as Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation. There, he led a substantial reorganization of NSF’s Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate and developed new ways for NSF to better serve the nation.
His professional honors include the National Academy of Science’s Award for Innovation in Research (1998). He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2007) and an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2004). He has been a Guggenheim Fellow (2007) and an Andrew Carnegie Fellow (2015). At the University of Michigan, he won the President’s Award for Public Impact (2017) and the Individual Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education (2014). His PhD is from the California Institute of Technology (1991).