Is NASA's Information Policy Limiting Climate Change Awareness?

[alexandra]

FWIW, there have been several national news stories lately about scientists expressing concerns that the Bush Administration is skewing scientific information. This is another drop in the bucket, I suppose.

Excellent! We are living in times when people can't afford to just duck and carry on as if nothing were happening - just 'do their jobs'. It seems job descriptions in all sorts of professions have changed of late, unfortunately, and it is no longer safe to ignore the wider political and social implications of the work one is doing and how this work is being used.

Perhaps this particular event is not inciting major outrage because it was handled so quickly (NASA has officially rejected Deutsch's efforts and Deutsch has since resigned). But I'm sure this event will continue to be cited as an example in the future.

(As Nereid noted, there is a lot of outrage being expressed in blogs, if not the national media outlets.)

Again, that is good (the blog critiques). But Nereid was also asking why no-one in PF was responding - and I empathised with Nereid's frustration about this... and pushed her question about why there was such a poor response to its logical conclusion: why are scientists on PF not more vocal about being upset about such issues? I'm still curious about why this should be so. The stereotypical view is that scientists try to 'avoid' politics. But is it still tenable to do this, given the times we are living in?

(PS: What is 'FWIW'?)

 

[loseyourname]

But Nereid was also asking why no-one in PF was responding - and I empathised with Nereid's frustration about this... and pushed her question about why there was such a poor response to its logical conclusion: why are scientists on PF not more vocal about being upset about such issues? I'm still curious about why this should be so. The stereotypical view is that scientists try to 'avoid' politics. But is it still tenable to do this, given the times we are living in?

Personally, I think the answer to Nereid's question is simple: the people who post most in the P&WA forum are not scientists. They're largely people who came here simply to discuss politics.

(PS: What is 'FWIW'?)

For what it's worth.

 

[alexandra]

Personally, I think the answer to Nereid's question is simple: the people who post most in the P&WA forum are not scientists. They're largely people who came here simply to discuss politics.

I guess that's true, loseyourname. I'm no scientist; I'm a mathematics student (but a political science addict). I post a lot in this section because of how aware I am of world events and their repurcussions on ordinary people's lives. My first degree was in politics. But I do wish scientists would get into the real world now; this is so necessary. Gone are those luxurious times when they could afford to just focus on their work and ignore the rest of the world. Even Einstein found out he had to get involved in politics. No-one's work is done in a vacuum - there is always a context. Sigh.

 

[alexandra]

Good News: Scientists openly challenge anti-scientism

Although this is perhaps off-topic (not about NASA), it is about scientists actively defending science - I just thought I'd add a bit of good news to the politics forum for a change

Churches urged to back evolution
By Paul Rincon
BBC News science reporter, St Louis

US scientists have called on mainstream religious communities to help them fight policies that undermine the teaching of evolution.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hit out at the "intelligent design" movement at its annual meeting in Missouri.

Teaching the idea threatens scientific literacy among schoolchildren, it said.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4731360.stm

 

[Bystander]

(snip)No-one's work is done in a vacuum - there is always a context. Sigh.

You have a "context" in mind --- care to expound upon it?

 

[Astronuc]

NASA Information Policy

NASA Information Policy - 03.30.06

On March 30, 2006, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin released NASA's Policy on the Release of Information to the News and Information Media, which governs how the agency will deal with the news media and defines roles for program and public affairs personnel.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/communication_policy.html

(a) NASA, a scientific and technical agency, is committed to a culture of openness with the media and public that values the free exchange of ideas, data, and information as part of scientific and technical inquiry. Scientific and technical information from or about Agency programs and projects will be accurate and unfiltered.

(b) Consistent with NASA statutory responsibility, NASA will “provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof.” Release of public information concerning NASA activities and the results of NASA activities will be made promptly, factually, and completely.

(c) To ensure timely release of information, NASA will endeavor to ensure cooperation and coordination among the Agency’s scientific, engineering, and public affairs communities.

(d) In keeping with the desire for a culture of openness, NASA employees may, consistent with this policy, speak to the press and the public about their work.

Perhaps an improvement.