The Changing Domestic and International Landscape for Agricultural Biotechnology and Biosafety

Although genetically engineered crops have been grown in the US and around the world for fifteen years, they still remain controversial. New, and sometimes more controversial, products are being developed and marketed, In the US, this has led to recent regulatory decisions by the Obama Administration that will impact farmers, consumers, and the future direction of this technology.

Spring Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy Seminars (STEP FAR)

STEP FAR is designed for students, staff, faculty, and fellows to get together in an informal setting to discuss their projects, research-in-progress, opportunities, and a variety of other issues related to science, technology, environment, energy, and policy.

Linda Birnbaum

Linda S. Birnbaum is Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and National Toxicology Program Division. As NIEHS and NTP director, Dr. Birnbaum oversees a budget that funds multidisciplinary biomedical research programs, prevention, and intervention efforts that encompass training, education, technology transfer, and community outreach. The NIEHS supports more than 1,000 research grants.

Minnesota Green Chemistry 2012: Strategies for Growth.

This conference will explored how we can reap the benefits of green chemistry by promoting a healthy business environment for green chemistry here in Minnesota. The keynote speaker was Dr. Patrick Gruber, Chief Executive Officer of Gevo, who has served as a director of the company since 2007.

A Conversation with EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson

There was a presentation and audience conversation with Lisa P. Jackson, which was moderated by Professor Deborah Swackhamer. In her presentation, Jackson addressed the role of science in decision making-protecting our health and promoting a healthy economy and recent challenges to environmental laws.

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt

He discussed the future of the high-tech economy. “We will come to understand the importance of having artists and designers at the same level as systems engineers and that’s actually a new fact and it’s really, really important.  It’s the defining point of how technology will move forward.” Watch the video of the event.

Telecommunication Mergers and the Public Good

October 3rd, 2011: AT&T proposed a merger with T-Mobile which would create the largest mobile telecommunications carrier in the United States. The magnitude of the merger has raised questions whether it is in the public interest. AT&T has contended that the merger would enable it to expand service, including broadband service. Former Congressman Rick Boucher, a partner in the Washington, DC office of Sidley Austin, and amalia deloney, Grassroots Policy Director for the Center for Media Justicel described their differing views of the proposed merger and respond to audience questions.

Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy Feedback and Research (STEP FAR) Seminars

September 20:
Stop Treating the Subsurface like Dirt: Overview of Research into Earth Services and Risks of Emerging Subsurface Technologies
Jeffrey M. Bielicki, Visiting Research Scientist and Graduate Faculty

October 4:
Collaboration and Institutional Patterns in Biotechnology Risk Assessment
Aliya Kuzhabekova, Research Specialist

October 18:
Hennepin County Water Governance Project - An Application of Design Thinking to Governance
Will Nissen, M.P.P.-STEP Alumnus

November 1:
Toxic Chemicals - Designing Better Management and Policy
Deborah Swackhamer, Professor and Charles M. Denny, Jr. Chair of Science, Technology, and Public Policy

.