What's New

Prof. Jennifer Kuzma was recently part of a team awarded a $3.3 million National Science Foundation grant "Precise Engineering of Plant Genomes using Zinc Finger Nucleases". On this project, Prof. Kuzma will serve as co-PI and take the lead on the societal implications component of the research, investigating stakeholder, expert, and public perceptions of a novel technology for modifying plant genomes and evaluating oversight models for it.

Deborah Swackhamer, co-director of the university's Water Resources Center, professor in the School of Public Health and Charles M. Denny Jr. Chair in Science, Technology and Public Policy at the Humphrey Institute, has been re-appointed by Governor Pawlenty to the Clean Water Council. Swackhamer is one of nine recent appointments to the 23 member council created by the legislature to provide advice on how to administer and implement the Clean Water Legacy Act, including making recommendations to the Governor on the appropriation of funds in the Clean Water Legacy Account.

Jennifer Kuzma
Science, Technology, and Public Policy chair

"Relationships among science, technology, the environment, and society are intricate and delicate. They affect global, national, and local communities and the daily lives of individuals. Policy choices about what research to fund or which technologies to deploy impact people and societies for decades to come. In addition, applications of science and technology can have both positive and negative impacts on human health, the environment, cultures, and social systems. Appropriate oversight for emerging technologies, such as biotechnology or nanotechnology, and deployment of more sustainable technologies, such as renewable energy or geologic carbon sequestration, are two key areas we address at the Humphrey Institute. What drives us is the ability to research science and technology policy issues in an independent setting and our desire to serve as a trusted resource for analysis, outreach, and education."