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Public Involvement Network News
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Public Deliberation about Nanotechnology for Human Enhancement
from Research Highlights e-newsletter of Arizona State, dated August 13, 2008
In March 2008, eighty-six people across six nationwide panels participated in the National Citizen’s Technology Forum on "Human Enhancement Through Nanotechnology." These citizens ranged from teens to seniors and had no previous expertise or experience in nanotechnology. They studied background material, met face-to-face, and participated in nine, two-hour Internet discussion forums with scientist experts. During their final meeting, each panel wrote a Citizen’s Report that outlines their optimism, concerns and recommendations regarding human enhancement technologies.
The reports address socio-economic, safety, environmental, health and governance issues, as well as regulatory challenges and human identity concerns. This project gives average citizens a voice in the early stages of nano-scale science and engineering research and development. It is noteworthy that every report implores policymakers, research scientists, and the private sector to recognize that real-time citizen input is essential to fully understanding the societal implications of emerging technologies. The principal investigator of this research is Dr. Patrick Hamlett, Associate Professor of Science, Technology & Society, and Political Science at North Carolina State University.
You can read the individual reports of the six dialogues in their entirety.
Each report is unique in format and coverage.
Locations of the 2008 NCTF citizen panels: Tempe, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado;
Berkeley, California; Durham, New Hampshire; Atlanta, Georgia and Madison, Wisconsin