Briefing #14, 30 September 2008

The Center for Science and Technology Policy Research is working to improve how science and technology policies address societal needs. Please let us know what information you might like to receive by emailing us.

About the Center

Center Highlights

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CSTPR Names William Travis as the New Director. William Travis, an Associate Professor of Geography who has taught for more than 20 years at CU-Boulder, is the former director of the university's Natural Hazards Center. He has researched and written extensively about humans and the environment, including in his latest book "New Geographies of the American West: Land Use and Changing Patterns of Place," which was published in 2007. One of his current research projects focuses on how Colorado communities perceive and react to the mountain pine beetle outbreak.

Former Center students have received awards from Society of Policy Sciences for their exemplary work. Elizabeth McNie was awarded the 2008 Student Paper Prize for her article in Environmental Science & Policy, "Reconciling the Supply of Scientific Information with User Demands: An Analysis of the Problem and Review of the Literature." Jason Vogel was awarded the 2008 Harold D. Lasswell Prize for his article in Journal of Forestry, "Building Consensus for Constructive Action: A Study of Perspectives on Natural Resource Management."

CSTPR, with CU's Energy Initiative, is co-sponsoring a series of lectures and panel discussions on campus to examine the challenge of meeting rapidly rising global energy demand, while simultaneously reducing planet-warming greenhouse gases. The series, titled "The Energy and Climate Challenge," is intended to foster discussion and debate on these issues to coincide with the 2008 presidential campaign.

Prometheus is the Center’s weblog. Recent posts:

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A Call to Reinvigorate Environmentalism…
Planned Economic Recession
Blaming the Media, Wrongly in this Case
Yohe vs. Lomborg
Consistent With Chronicles: A New Record
The Hockey Stick Debate as a Matter of Science Policy

Sample of Recent Publications:

Reconciling explosive growth and assessing the ecological and social outcomes of Western development:
Travis, W.R., 2007. New Geographies of the American West: Land Use and the Changing Patterns of Place. Island Press, 291 pp.

Book Review for "Final Countdown: NASA and the End of the Space Shuttle Program" by Pat Duggins:
Pielke, Jr., R. A., 2008. The Rise and Fall of the Space Shuttle. American Scientist, Vol. 96, No. 5, p. 32.

Science and the development of public policy:
Pielke, Jr., R. A., 2008. Scientists and the Next President of the United States, Elements, Vol. 4, No. 3, June.