SEMINAR - How can scientists work with citizens to solve societal challenges? Lessons from North America

Richard Berman, Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives for Innovation and Research at the University of South Florida, will talk about effective ways to carry out citizen engagement in science and policy-making, drawing from experiences and cases from University of South Florida and the North American HIBAR Research Alliance.

The event is open to all and will be delivered physically (Room B3008, Campus Kristiansand) and digitally (via Zoom).

For physical participants: there will be lunch and coffee, please register here by 13.00 hrs Monday 5 June, so that we can plan accordingly and take into account dietary requirements.

For digital participants: you will get the Zoom details by emails after registration.

The event is part of the Democracy@UiA seminar series. Democracy@UiA is an inter-faculty working group running activities related to University of Agder´s interdisciplinary priority area "Democracy and Active Citizenship", and is supported by university strategic funds.

ABSTRACT

At a time of increasing disconnect between people and democratic institutions, involving citizens in science and policy-making is crucial not only to increase the quality of evidence-based societal interventions, but also to strengthen the institutions of liberal democracy with participatory and deliberative processes that get citizens closer to academic and political institutions.

As academics we have a key role to play, but we often struggle with finding effective and innovative ways to put our valuable knowledge into action and to work closely with citizens and other societal actors. In this seminar, I will present a model for effective citizen engagement that bridges the gap between basic research and the pressing societal challenges that scientists are asked to solve. I will focus on six essential stages, which all need to involve citizens: (1) identification of the societal challenge and (2) of the working team; (3) collaborative development of hypotheses and research questions; (4) collaborative data collection and (5) analysis; and finally, (6) developing solutions and impact measures.

I will draw from examples from University of South Florida and the North America-based HIBAR Research Alliance, a volunteer-driven organization that aims to develop university capabilities to conduct highly impactful basic research that addresses societal challenges.

SPEAKER'S BIO

Richard Berman is the Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives for Innovation and Research at the University of South Florida, visiting social entrepreneurship professor in the Muma College of Business, and a professor in the institute for Advanced Discovery & Innovation. He is currently an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine in Washington, DC. He is a member of the Seeds of Peace Board of Directors and a board member for the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development in Abuja.

Richard has worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company, Executive Vice President of NYU Medical Center and Professor of Health Care Management at the NYU School of Medicine. He served as the Special Advisor to the leader of the African Union-United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in Darfur. He has also served in cabinet positions in New York State Government, and the US Department of Health Education and Welfare. He served as President of Manhattanville College from 1995 to 2009.

Richard received his BBA, MBA, and MPH from the University of Michigan and holds honorary doctorates from Manhattanville College and New York Medical College.

(Image credits: Franzi / Shutterstock)