The Conversation

Can March for Science participants advocate without losing the public's trust?

Written by Emily Vraga, Assistant Professor in Political Communication, George Mason University

What happens to their credibility when scientists take to the streets? February 2017 Stand Up for Science rally in Boston.Adam Salsman, CC BY-NC-ND

As the March for Science nears, questions about whether scientists can and should advocate for public policy become more important. On one hand, scientists have relevant expertise to contribute to...

The state of US forests: Six questions answered

Written by Thomas J. Straka, Professor of Forestry and Environmental Conservation (Forest Resource Management and Economics), Clemson University

Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina.Tjss99/Flickr, CC BY-NC

Editor’s note: The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, catalyzed a wave of laws to protect the environment and natural resources. Here Thomas Straka, a professor of forest economics and management and former industrial forester, answers questions about the current state of U.S....

Georgia's special election: What does a runoff mean for 2018?

Written by Jeffrey Lazarus, Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University

Jon Ossoff speaks to supporters during an election-night watch party.AP Photo/John Bazemore

The past month has been fun for me.

Not only am I a political scientist who researches Congress and congressional elections, but I also live in Georgia’s 6th House district, which has been the focus of national attention for the past month or so. On...

Why the French presidential candidates are arguing about their colonial history

Written by Jennifer Sessions, Associate Professor of History, University of Iowa

When the French presidential elections begin on April 23, the world will be watching closely.

Polls are tightening up, but Marine Le Pen, of the far-right National Front (FN) Party, seems likely to get through to the second, runoff ballot on May 10. Will the xenophobic populism that brought Brexit to the U.K. and Donald Trump to the White House...

What Netflix can teach us about treating cancer

Written by Elana Fertig, Assistant Professor of Oncology Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Johns Hopkins University

A tumor under the microscope.Cropped from cnicholsonpath/flickr, CC BY

Two years ago, former President Barack Obama announced the Precision Medicine initiative in his State of the Union Address. The initiative aspired to a “new era of medicine” where disease treatments could be specifically tailored to each patient’s genetic code....

Why it's time for the Mormon Church to revisit its diverse past

Written by Benjamin Park, Assistant Professor of History, Sam Houston State University

Mormon missionaries pray before the start of a class in Mandarin Chinese language at the Missionary Training Center, in Provo, Utah.AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File

In an era where traditional church attendance has declined and the fastest-growing religious affiliation in America is the “nones” – those who claim no affiliation with an...

'Public goods' made America great and can do so again

Written by Marina v. N. Whitman, Professor of Business Administration and Public Policy, University of Michigan

Public goods come in many forms, from highways to magnificent mountains. Road sign via www.shutterstock.com

All Americans are lucky to live in a country brimming with public resources that everyone can share.

Many are provided by government and funded with our tax dollars, such as the highways that crisscross the country, the 84 million acres of...

Introducing 'Operator 4.0,' a tech-augmented human worker

Written by Thorsten Wuest, Assistant Professor & J. Wayne and Kathy Richards Faculty Fellow in Engineering, West Virginia University

Technology can help workers in many ways.Romero, Stahre, Wuest, et al., CC BY-ND

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has arrived. The first was the steam engine-driven Industrial Revolution; the second involved the innovations from Henry Ford’s assembly line. Third, microelectronics and computer power appeared on factory floors. Now,...

Now who will push ahead on validating forensic science disciplines?

Written by Suzanne Bell, Professor of Chemistry and Forensic and Investigative Science, West Virginia University

When lawyers submit forensic evidence in court, is there legit science to back it up?AP Photo/Pat Sullivan

Science and the law are not natural partners. Science seeks to advance our understanding of the natural world. The law is tasked with ensuring public safety and making sure justice is properly served. Over time, science became another tool...

Will Trump's global family planning cuts cause side effects?

Written by Rachel Sullivan Robinson, Associate Professor, American University School of International Service

Actress and U.N. Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador Ashley Judd visited a refugee camp in Mafraq, Jordan in 2016. AP Photo/Raad Adayleh

President Donald Trump is leading an assault on family planning around the world.

Most recently, his administration cut off U.S. contributions to the United Nations Population Fund, which provides and funds...