Dalton G
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at North Carolina State University
Expertise
Survey and interview research methods; Archival research methods; Science Communication; Public Engagement with ScienceSocial, ethical, and policy issues with biotechnology (Agricultural, medical, or environmental); Socio-economic impacts of biotechnology; Environmental impacts of biotechnology; Applications of synthetic biology and bioengineering; Public and stakeholder perceptions on emerging technology; Projects investigating applications and/or impacts of environmental policy; Environmental ethics and politics; Bioethics and biotechnology policy; Social and ethical challenges of sustainability; Sustainability politics; Socio-economic impacts of sustainability innovation (e.g. renewable energy; carbon capture); Sociology of science and innovation; Philosophy of science and innovation; History of science and innovation;
Bio
My scientific expertise is a mix of biological, environmental, and social sciences, which I often apply towards either environmental policy-oriented research or science and innovation policy research. I a specialize in both qualitative and quantitative analysis of survey, interview, observational, and archival data. My passion is investigating research questions that look at interactions between science, technology, society, and the environment. This means taking a close look at the ways science and innovation affect - and are affected by - the people who create, govern, and use them. Ethics, governance and policy-making are the biggest impact areas for my work, but I also put a lot of time and effort into building "interdisciplinary" education and research capacity. This means I spend a lot of time working with, learning from, and teching people who have very different backgrounds and knowledge bases than myself. If you work with me, you will learn how to synthesize knowledge across different areas and "read between the lines" of data, theory, and current events. You will practice asking the right questions, and learn how societal dimensions of local culture, economics, and politics can impact the development and deployment of new science and technology. Whether your interests are in biological, environmental, or social sciences our project work will result in you developing rigorous research, writing, and thinking skills that will serve you well moving forward into your college career. Outside of the research world, my absolute favorite place to be is outdoors. I am an avid hiker, cyclist, disc golfer, volleyball player, fisherman, really any activity that gets me outdoors and moving! I also am a pretty decent musician, with skills in guitar/bass, percussion, and passable keyboard talents. On the weekend, you may also find me enjoying live performances of music, theater, or just at the park playing chess, backgammon, or reading a good novel.Project ideas
Studying the societal impacts of renewable energy technology on local communities
Maybe you are curious about wind, solar, or perhaps even nuclear energy, and have always wanted to learn more about the environmental impacts of these technologies in your own backyard? IN this project, we will take a deep dive into your technology of interest by studying it from a high level (technical function, development trends, broad environmental impact data) and then focusing in our your local context of interest. Maybe this is your home state, or even your home county? After developing a broad understanding of the technology in question, we will then look at your local setting. What kinds of policies are in place that can support the development of this technology? How will people living in these communities benefit - or suffer - as a result of using these technologies? Why would community investment in renewable energy ultimately be a good - or bad - decision for you local community? By conducting a literature review, research interviews, and analyzing publicly available data you will be able to generate a rigorous research paper that contains your own "policy recommendation" that is uniquely yours.
Public perceptions and communication on controversial science & technology
Science and technology can create controversy in the public sphere, dividing dinner tables and whole communities on how different technologies should be used - or not used - in day to day life. In this project, the objective is to create educational materials designed to communicate with a chosen public audience on a controversial topic in science or technology. First, you will choose a topic of choice, preferably one that has some visibility and significance as an issue in the public sphere (vaccines; climate change; pollution; artificial intelligence; etc). You will then use survey and interview methods with a chosen public audience - maybe they are people who go to your school, live in your neighborhood, etc - , and ask them about their perspectives on scientific subject that you have chosen. By analyzing this data, you should build a robust understanding of how your chosen community thinks about the topic of choice. You will then use these insights to generate some effective means of communication on the topic of choice. The goal is not to necessarily convince people one way or the other, but to learn how to tailor science communication towards a public audiences values, interests, languages, cultural knowledge, ideologies, etc. Outcomes of this project can include a diverse array of outputs, such as a combination of educational videos, podcasts, short articles, blogs, artwork, or even songs and poetry. The most important thing is that your combination of materials reflect an effective communication approach for your audience.
The Social and Ethical dimensions of Artificial Intelligence
A.I. is everywhere. Adoption has happened quickly and society is reeling from the rapid fire impacts that AI is having across all sectors of business, education, and even scientific research. While AI certainly makes digital tasks easier, and creates opportunities for new kinds of work to take place in the virtual universe, far less attention has been paid to the social impacts of AI use. Perhaps this is a question you have been wondering about for a while? How is AI impacting different social groups? Is everyone benefiting, or are their some hidden social costs to the turn towards AI? In this project we can look at the different ways AI is being deployed across different sectors -- say, education, or law enforcement -- and explore the ways in which the use of AI is contributing to equitable and just outcomes in society. After conducting this research, we will work together to develop a sharp assessment and potential solutions for how AI systems might be shaped and governed toward better outcomes.
