Friday, May 27, 2011

Real and imagined boundaries, magical people, and the science/policy interface



Small introductory note:

Let’s be honest, people: my blog is kind of pathetic. Anemic. Atrophied. Wandering hopelessly through the desert without food or water, incapable of muttering a coherent thought. Today I vow to more than double my entries by the end of June (that kind of sounds like a campaign promise, eh?). Let’s get going!

The post:

Johnny Cash was on to something: walking the line. Yes, that sounds good. But the line I want to walk is the line between science and policy. That imaginary bureaucratic, academic, and largely psychological line that we draw between the science we do and the world that can use it.

For some people, the line is more a brick wall. It is an impervious boundary that divides two disciplines. This is embraced by some academics because it makes them feel safe. On the other hand, many scientists lament the brick wall. They do this not because they want to see what’s on the other side, but, perhaps, because they sincerely long for a day when the powerful folks living on the policy side of the wall will climb over to see what’s on the science side. This may very well be a vain hope. Let’s be frank: the folks on the policy side of the wall would much prefer—for good reason—that scientists build some kind of ramp, or whatever complex machinery they need to build to feel smart, and have a go at effectively presenting their work to the “big boys.”

And yet, some scientists have turned this brick wall into more of a semi-permeable membrane. They appear to know how to package their material and present it effectively so that it floats through small, imaginary pores in the membrane, disseminating on both side. My guess is that there are people on either side of the line who would like to make these pores bigger, easier to find, and more frequently used. Or maybe we need someone to navigate the membrane for groups on both sides.

On Fridays when we’re both free, I meet with my supervisor at NIWA to discuss progress on the project, any problems I may have, and whatever tangential topics we discover in the heat of the moment.

Yesterday we chatted about this line and how I would like to be working right at the line, or even—gasp—crossing it frequently during my career. He mentioned that what is really needed is someone whose sole purpose is to patrol the line. No, patrol is the wrong word. Negotiate the line. A liaison, if you will.

This excites me. “Yes,” I said, “I want to be that person!” The problem, he says, is that no one really wants to employ that person (at least it doesn’t seem they want to in NZ) because they aren’t really “billable.” What do they produce? What to they make? I think they make all the science more meaningful by, you know, getting it to be useful to policy-makers. Therefore that person actually makes everything better and makes the research institution an asset to the country. That doesn’t seem to be something that translates into making money, however. Also, it’s not an easy job!

He launched into the job description for someone who might want to liaise between ocean scientists and policy-makers:

--Understands ocean science…broadly…. (does anyone?)

--Knows how to get scientists to explain their work

--Understands policy

--Personable

--Is perceptive and can compromise

--Good at communicating

--Knows what the policy world needs

--Knows how the science world can help

--Basically, possesses magical powers

Whoa there!! I have to be MAGICAL?!

A moment of thought followed by: “Yes…. that’s still the kind of thing I want to do.” Now I just need to work on those magical powers.