Policy Topics

Science and technology

Showing 181 - 210 of 658 results

Publication

Vaccine hesitancy, rooted in institutional mistrust, could stand in way of COVID-19 herd immunity, STPP study finds

May 12, 2021

The global effort to develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines has progressed despite myriad challenges. Yet the final step—shots in arms—meets resistance among some that can't easily be overcome by science and supply chains. Vaccine hesitancy—a...

A nurse administers the COVID-19 vaccine to a teacher in Iowa (Credit: Phil Roeder / CC BY)

News

International webinar series examines science, technology and the ‘carceral state’

Apr 29, 2021

The explosion of the prison population in the U.S. and around the world is seen by many as a crisis, as the growth is mainly attributable to high incarceration rates among low-income and minority communities. Science and technology lie at the heart...

Creative art for the carceral state conference, featuring a surveillance camera and stylized broken shapes in front of an old prison cellblock

In the Media

Science adviser with a social conscience may transform the nation, says Parthasarathy in NYT

Apr 29, 2021 New York Times

“We’re at a moment” where science has the potential to make a difference on issues of social justice and inequality, Shobita Parthasarathy said. “I know my students are increasingly concerned about these questions, and think rank-and-file scientists...

Professor Shobita Parthasarathy leads a discussion in the Betty Ford Classroom

News

Robert Hampshire appointed chief science officer at USDOT

Apr 23, 2021

Robert Hampshire will serve as the U.S. Department of Transportation's chief science officer, a role that has not been filled in more than 40 years. He was appointed assistant secretary for research and technology for the department, and will advise...

In the Media

Rabe speaks on Biden's efforts to return U.S. to credible climate policy role

Apr 23, 2021 NHK World-Japan

"The return to Paris, and then the Summit are part of an effort by President Biden, especially on the heels of the previous Trump Administration, to signal to Japan and other nations around the world that the US is back in serious engagement on...

In the Media

Rabe: Kerry needs strong U.S. environmental action to be successful

Apr 22, 2021 LaCroix

“For John Kerry to do his job well, the United States needs to be exemplary at home from an environmental perspective. However, this will not be easy because there is resistance to Joe Biden's climate ambitions, particularly in states, such as...

In the Media

Increasing EVs will not be easy, says Rabe

Apr 15, 2021 E&E News

As the Biden administration looks to replace the federal government's fleet of cars and trucks with electric vehicles, Professor Barry Rabe commented, "This involves the entire supply chain from raw materials, including computer chips, to production...

In the Media

Despite Biden's ambitious electric vehicle plan, challenges remain, says Rabe

Apr 8, 2021 E&E News

President Biden's infrastructure plan calls for $174 billion in spending for electric vehicles. Despite this ambitious plan, experts, like Barry Rabe, say that Biden's EV plan will nonetheless be difficult to implement: "However much money is in...

News

Rabe discusses government's role in addressing climate change in NAPA spotlight

Apr 4, 2021 National Academy of Public Administration

Barry Rabe appeared in The National Academy of Public Administration's Fellow Spotlight to celebrate Earth Month. The full text of his interview is included below. How would you describe the government's role in the sustainable use of natural...

News

Anti-racism faculty hiring moves forward, Ford School focus on racial justice in technology

Mar 25, 2021

Eight new University of Michigan faculty positions have been selected for funding in the first round of hires that will be a part of the Anti-Racism Faculty Hiring Initiative. One of those new hires will be at the Ford School, with a focus on...

Aerial of U-M central campus including Weill Hall

In the Media

Parthasarathy discusses bias in pandemic science

Mar 22, 2021 BBC World

"Science is always going to be viewed through the lens of people through their values, assumptions, biases, and politics," said Shobita Parthasarathy. But, she said, "bias is natural....It's not a bad thing to have bias." It's necessary for...

News

Parthasarathy: AstraZeneca vaccine crisis in Europe about public trust, not science

Mar 17, 2021 Slate

In a recent op-ed, Shobita Parthasarathy shared how the AstraZeneca vaccine crisis in Europe isn’t about science; rather it’s about public trust. “There is a long-standing perception that vaccine hesitancy is the result of public ignorance or a...

In the Media

Experiences of long-term effects of COVID need to be studied - Parthasarathy

Mar 8, 2021 Nature

An article in Nature notes that the National Institutes of Health will invest over $1 billion to research ‘long COVID’ — the long-lasting health effects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. People who have experienced COVID-19 and its long-term aftermath,...

In the Media

Biden appoints new, diverse voices in climate policy posts, says Parthasarthy

Mar 5, 2021 Environment & Energy News

“I am really struck by the fact that [Biden] has done this now on multiple appointments,” said Parthasarathy. "He’s reaching out to totally different kinds of people, kinds of experts who bring a nuanced understanding of the social world when he is...

Alumni spotlight

Interview with MPP, STPP alum Melvin Washington II

Mar 4, 2021

Melvin Washington is an alumnus of the Ford School’s Master of Public Policy Program and the Science, Technology, & Public Policy Graduate Certificate Program. In his role as a Program Associate at the Vera Institute of Justice, he puts this passion...

News

Ford School expert tells lawmakers: Equity needs to go hand-in-hand with innovation in energy, climate

Mar 3, 2021

Pursuing energy and climate innovations grows ever more critical, but must include the involvement and participation of marginalized, vulnerable communities from the beginning. That's the message Ford School professor and director of the Science,...

News

Parthasarathy testifies about equity in innovation before key Congressional subcommittee

Feb 25, 2021

On February 25, Shobita Parthasarathy testified before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies. The hearing included four invited experts to speak about energy and climate innovation issues....

Screen cap of Shobita Parthasarathy testimony

News

Ford School plays virtual host as students around the world compete in a real-time simulation to stop the next pandemic

Feb 24, 2021

Hundreds of students will tackle a deadly outbreak during a very timely NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition On February 27, the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at University of Michigan and the...

In the Media

Owen-Smith highlights economic impact of U-M research

Feb 9, 2021 DBusiness

“Our findings illuminate the many different ways in which academic research affects the national economy and society as a whole,” said Jason Owen-Smith. “U-M is an excellent illustration of the multifaceted impact research investments can have,...

In the Media

Lewis comments on restoring integrity in science and research

Jan 31, 2021 Voice of America

In an article about the Biden administration's moves to reaffirm a national commitment to integrity in scholarship and research, Lewis commented to Voice of America, said he addresses suspicions about higher education by asking skeptics if they...

News

Parthasarathy on the dangers of facial recognition technology in schools

Jan 29, 2021 Los Angeles Times

As facial recognition technology has become more commonplace in law enforcement, some schools have considered implementing facial recognition technology on their respective campuses. However, after public backlash over privacy concerns, many...

In the Media

Rabe: Biden might face "classic tough choice" on international pipeline dispute

Jan 26, 2021 MLive

The Canadian government and corporate leaders are disputing Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's plan to revoke the operating license of the Enbridge Line 5 oil line crossing that runs under the Straits of Mackinac. If the challenge is...

In the Media

Parthasarathy comments on the increasing politicization of science

Jan 25, 2021 Chemical & Engineering News

Noting fierce partisan debates over the science behind COVID-19, Shobita Parthasarathy comments that "These are really values debates masquerading as scientific debates. And putting them into the language of science is bad for science, but it is...

In the Media

Parthasarathy contributes to India's draft National Science Technology and Innovation Policy

Jan 24, 2021 India Education Diary

“Grassroots innovation and traditional knowledge are the strengths of India and often offer solutions to problems. Women play a key role in a majority of grassroots innovations, and their role should be acknowledged,” said Parthasarathy. Read the...

In the Media

Parthasarathy comments on Biden's science strategy

Jan 21, 2021 Axios

Emphasizing a need to pay attention to marginalized communities, Shobita Parthasarathy says "Giving people more involvement in decision-making about what research is prioritized and how it is carried out could help "align government's values with...

News

Robert Hampshire joins Biden administration to work in transportation research and technology

Jan 21, 2021

Robert Hampshire, associate professor at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, whose research and policy engagement focuses on understanding the societal, climate and equity implications of autonomous and connected...

News

Ford School experts address Biden priorities in new policy memos

Jan 19, 2021

As the Biden administration embarks on its first hundred days, experts from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy have produced a series of policy briefs in their areas of expertise. All of the prepared briefs can be downloaded...

Issue memos for an incoming administration graphic

In the Media

Catherine Hausman comments on electrical grid changes in California

Jan 18, 2021 The San Francisco Chronicle

As California begins its transition to a battery powered electrical grid, Catherine Hausman comments that "these large-scale batteries can bring a real boost to grid reliability, and they can support zero-carbon electricity's integration into the...

In the Media

Parthasarathy lauds Biden's choice for science and society advisor

Jan 18, 2021 Science Mag

"What an incredibly important and forward-thinking move to include social perspectives on science and tech policy in the office," said Shobita Parthasarathy about Alondra Nelson, the new deputy director for science and society in the White House...

News

Parthasarathy profiled: why we need to diversify expertise

Jan 5, 2021 Public Books

In a Public Books Public Thinker profile, Shobita Parthasarathy discusses what drew her to science and technology policy, gene patents and testing, COVID-19, and the role of diversity and activism in science/technology to regain public trust. In...