Expert and Citizen Assessment of Science and Technology (ECAST)
Technology Assessment and Public Participation: From TA to pTA
Richard Worthington2, Darlene Cavalier4, Mahmud Farooque1, Gretchen Gano1&5, Henry Geddes5, Steven Sander2, David Sittenfeld3, David Tomblin6
December 6, 2012 (Rev. December 20, 2012)
This report about participatory technology assessment (pTA) is prepared by ECAST members. Our primary motivation is to articulate the role that a network like ECAST might play in conducting and institutionalizing pTA in the U.S.
ECAST’s first large scale project was coordination of the U.S. component of World Wide Views on Biodiversity. This global citizen consultation, conducted in 25 countries on September 15, 2012, provided input to the Eleventh Council of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that took place the following month. In this report, we examine the process and results of WWViews as a means of understanding the challenges and opportunities for expanding the practice of pTA in the U.S. Our report thus takes up three main themes:
- The context in which pTA has emerged and in which it might develop
- The results and implications of WWViews
- Opportunities for developing pTA
Author Affiliations:
1= Arizona State University; 2 = Pomona College, 3 = Museum of Science, Boston; 4 = Science Cheerleader and SciStarter, 5 = University of Massachusetts; 6 = Virginia Tech
Expert & Citizen Assessment of Science & Technology 