According to a widespread stereotype, scientists occupy an ivory tower,                  isolated from other parts of society. To some extent this is true, and the resulting                  freedom to pursue curiosity-driven research has made possible extraordinary                  scientific advances. The spinoffs of "pure" science, however, have also had powerful                  impacts on society, and the potential for future impacts is even greater.The public                  and many policymakers, as well as many researchers, have paid insufficient attention                  to the mechanisms for interchange between science and society that have developed                  since World War II. Ivory Bridges examines two such mechanisms: governmental science                  policy (often involving the participation of "scientist administrators") and                  scientists' voluntary public-interest associations.The examination of science policy                  is guided by the notion of "Jeffersonian science" -- -defined as basic research on                  topics identified as being in the national interest. The book illustrates the                  concept with a historical case study of the Press-Carter Initiative of the late                  1970s and proposes that a Jeffersonian approach would make a valuable addition to                  future science policy. The book also looks at the activities of citizen-scientists                  who have organized themselves to promote the welfare of society. It shows that their                  numerous and diverse organizations have made major contributions to the commonweal                  and that they have helped to prevent science from becoming either too subservient to                  government or too autonomous. An extensive appendix profiles a wide variety of these                  organizations.

Ivory Bridges: Connecting Science and Society PDF

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