We are excited to welcome Barry Bozeman to UCF, as a part of the CCIE Distinguished Lecture Series. He is Regents' Professor Emeritus and Arizona Centennial Professor of Technology Policy and Public Management, Arizona State University (ASU) and was founding director of the ASU Center of Organization Research and Design.
Drawing from his forthcoming book ("How Can Science Compete? Science and Public Policy in an Era of Distrust, Political Facture and Information Chaos,” MIT Press, in press), Bozeman characterizes what he refers to as the contemporary Anomic Information Environment, one that includes not only scientific knowledge but, even more readily available, conspiracy theories, deep fakes, IT-generated content and disinformation, all delivered daily to almost anyone possessing a smartphone. How does the "sincere client" for scientific knowledge sort the consensus view of science from the crank's paper published in a predatory journal, or established knowledge from a haste-to-post scientific papers, or a self-serving commercially bought and paid for set of findings from quality research? What led to this information chaos? A great many factors, including positive and negative technological advance, systematic hacking, political turmoil the decline of conventional mass media, and difficulties in curating science for public consumption. Bozeman briefly discusses some of these factors and their implications for the use of science, but focuses especially on what can be done, by scientists, policymakers and citizens, to enhance effective use of science in public policy and public affairs. He suggests policy changes, organizational reforms, new ethical standards, and even a re-thinking of the ends to be pursued by publicly funded science, including moving from a conventional and nationally based "Science Olympics" mentality to a global, cooperative, public values-focused science.
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