BME80G Seminar – Sheril Kirshenbaum, “Science in Policymaking”

Please note: Following this lecture, the Genomics Institute’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will host a reception on the Baskin Engineering Lanai with Dr. Kirshenbaum where we can continue the discussion on how to effectively engage lawmakers and the public to value and support genomic science.

Presenter: Dr. Sheril Kirshenbaum

Abstract: Science shapes our world, but meaningful policy engagement and understanding of research and innovation are critical if new advances are to reach their full potential. Dr. Sheril Kirshenbaum will share her research on science in policymaking and reflect on her experiences serving as a science advisor in Congress. The talk will explore effective strategies for engaging policymakers and staff, countering misinformation, promoting evidence-based decision-making, and strengthening the role of science in the policy process.

About the speaker: Dr. Sheril Kirshenbaum is an Emmy Award-winning scientist and author in the Office of Research and Innovation at Michigan State University, and an assistant professor in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. Her research explores how senior policymakers in the U.S. government make decisions about science and she has worked in the U.S. Senate with Senator Gary Peters (MI) and Bill Nelson (FL). She also hosts and writes the PBS series Serving Up Science with WKAR about the global food system and its impact on the environment and our health. Kirshenbaum is the author of The Science of Kissing and Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future (with Chris Mooney), and co-founded the NGO Science Debate.

Hosted by: Professor Karen Miga, BME Department