“Teaching Decision-Making to Future Scientists and

Teaching Science to Future Decision-Makers: The Princeton

University Experience”

Gregory van der Vink & Peter Folger

Teaching Public Policy in Earth Sciences Workshop – AGU, April 22, 2006

Disclaimer and Reference

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of any institution with which he is affiliated.

Based on 15 years of teaching upper-level Geoscience decision-making courses at Princeton University• Geo399: “Environmental Decision-Making”• Geo499: “Dealing with Natural Disasters”

Princeton University 250th Anniversary Professor for Distinguished Teaching

Course Objectives

Improve scientific literacy of non-scientists (e.g. future policy-makers, business executives, citizens)

And

Improve the political, social, economic, literacy of future scientists

(make scientists more effective in having their work

benefit society – “citizen scientists”)

Definition of scientific literacy

NSF defines scientific literacy not only as knowledge of the tenets and methods

of science, but also the impact of science on society.

Boundary Conditions

Not every student will become (or wants to become) a scientist –

a producer of scientific information.

(and that’s OK)

Boundary Conditions

But every student will be a future consumer of scientific information.

These students are our future decision-makers.

Courses for non-majorsor

for majors who will not be professional scientists

Few producers, many consumers

Science background is valuable for many careers

• Law• Diplomacy• Business• Education• Every profession

[and to be good citizens]

Traditional Focus

As educators, we focus on the future producers of scientific information

But

we generally ignore the future consumers of that information

Different Emphasis

For future consumers (policy-makers, business leaders, etc.) Emphasis is not on learning facts of science, but rather on gaining an understanding of the scientific process, valid inference, representative sampling, data discrimination, etc.,

For future scientists

Emphasis is on how science interacts with public policy.

Format for consumers

Courses for non-science majors should be different from the

traditional courses intended to train science professionals

Goals for understanding

Scientific process Valid inference Representative sampling Boundary values Data discrimination

• Signal vs. noise• Outliers• Scatter• Random vs. systematic

“Take-away” understanding –example 1

The plural of

“anecdote”

is not

“data”

“Take-away” understanding –example 2

Science is a human endeavor

“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die”

– Max Planck

“Take-away” understanding –example 3

Science is not about facts: - Science is a process

- Science is a way of addressing problems

No need to “dilute”

Many non-science students:

Engineers

Economists

Political scientists

Etc,

have high-level quantitative skills and have experience addressing complex issues with many factors (variables).

Less is more

Avoid the “mile-wide, inch-deep” structure of many introductory courses.

Select a few, difficult, unresolved issues with societal implications and have the students work thorough them (go deep).

Format for consumers

Expose students to primary data Have students analyze data Have students make decisions based on

messy, incomplete, ambiguous data. Experience requirement to make

decisions based on their interpretation of the data available at the time of the decision.

High content

Format for consumers

Data will be incomplete and ambiguous Data sets will be inconsistent Decisions will involve long-equations

with many variables from different disciplines.

Answers must be scientifically valid, but also politically, economically, socially realistic.

Intellectually challenging

Format for consumers

• 10% what we hear• 15% what we see• 20% what we see & hear• 40% what we discuss• 80% what we experience• 90% what we teach

Give students experience – making decisions and defending those decisions.

Long-term impact

Format for consumers

“Socratic” Method Real Case Studies

Long-term Impact

HighContent

IntellectuallyChallenging

Example 1

Senate Ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear

Test Ban Treaty

Scientific:

Global seismicity (Guttenberg/Richter)

Seismic magnitude

Frequency of events

Energy/magnitude

Seismic transmission

Verifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty

Value-added:

Probability/confidence levels

Different scientists can look at the same data, arrive at different conclusions

Technical assessments are permeated with value judgments

Verifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty

Example 2

Natural Disasters

[Intersection of a Natural Process with Human-built

Environment]

EarthScope Opportunity

Education and Outreach

Wishka, WA

Transportable Array Siting Interns

Sunset Crater Exhibit

Why bother?

Improve scientific literacy of future non-scientists

Improve political/economic/social/engineering literacy of future scientists

Enrich academic department

Instill an understanding of, and appreciation for, science (and the methods of science) in the next

generation of our society’s leaders.