Is science at risk in the information age? Ethics Center Feb 1

Wednesday February 1, 2012
5:30pm - 7:00pm

Open to the general public :

Free

Program Overview
This is the sixth of nine programs that will focus on the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

New digital technologies that are transforming the conduct of science create challenges regarding access, ownership, quality, and validation of data.

The HeLa cell line and its applications in experimental science have had profound impact on biomedical research, providing insights into disease processes and treatments, and leading to standardization of materials and methods employed in experiments. However, as we have read, scientists working with the HeLa cell line may have misled themselves and the public.

In the information age of digital technologies and the collaborative web, we are challenged to ask how we can avoid the risk of even unintentionally misrepresenting scientific data to ensure that data are curated accurately, maintaining their integrity, and that they are reliably linked to researchers, organizations and publications to safeguard both attribution and reproducibility. This talk will address technical, social and ethical implications of conducting science in the information age.

Please join the discussion!

About the Speaker:
Katherine A. Kantardjieff is founding Dean of the newly formed College of Science and Mathematics at California State University San Marcos and Director of the Keck Center for Molecular Structure (CMolS). Kantardjieff's previous academic appointments have been Professor and Chair of Chemistry at California State Polytechnic University Pomona and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at California State University Fullerton. Her research utilizes combined experimental and computational approaches to better understand how structure controls chemical and physical properties of biomolecules, and applies this knowledge in drug design and development, as well as in engineering molecules with defined properties. As Director of CMolS, she has been a pioneer in remote enabling of instrumentation in chemistry. Kantardjieff is past Chair of the United States National Committee for Crystallography NAS/NRC, Vice Chair of the National User Facility Organization Steering Committee, and Co-Editor of the Journal of Applied Crystallography.

About the Ethics Center
The Ethics Center brings the public and scientists together to explore how science can best serve society. Through forums, projects, and resources, the Center gives all stakeholders an opportunity to share perspectives on the ethical implications of new developments in science and technology.

The Ethics Center welcomes anyone who is open to learning new ideas and listening to viewpoints different from their own. Our primary audiences are: (1) members of the public interested in the ethical implications of science and technology and (2) science and technology innovators who are eager to connect with the public.

For more information, visit: http://www.ethicscenter.net

Questions?
Please contact Karen Winston or phone 858.964.1346.

In an agreement signed in February 2011, CONNECT is providing administrative support for the Ethics Center program in an initial pilot program to identify opportunities for future collaboration.

The Center for Ethics in Science and Technology was founded in 2003 by Dr. Michael Kalichman, a neuroscientist who directs the Research Ethics Program at UC San Diego, and Dr. Lawrence Hinman, a philosopher at USD, with initial support from the Legler Benbough Foundation.

The Ethics Center promotes informed policy development and ethical decision-making by individuals and institutions. It regularly sponsors stakeholder events and public lectures on a range of timely topics. Highlights include the Exploring Ethics series on the first Wednesday of the month at the Fleet Science Center, an annual Ethics in Science award for high school participants in the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, and collaborations with middle schools to promote discussion about ethics and science.

As part of its mission of public engagement, the Center issues quarterly reports to constituents, facilitates connections with numerous scientists and scholars who can serve as Media Experts and Speakers, and maintains a website providing useful information on a wide range of ethics and science topics. Visit here for more information.