Great Lakes Seminar Series: David Lodge
Open to: Everyone
Researchers often assume that the value of research in solving problems is self-evident. Yet most research does not lead to solutions, even when the proposals that launched the research promised solutions. University and government researchers could address this longtime peril by including clear theories of change in project development, and co-creating and co-executing projects across disciplines and sectors. This would require alignment of funding and infrastructure to support such mission-driven research.
Another, newer peril at the science-policy interface, goes in the other direction: the on-going top-down policy effort within the federal government to reduce, reshape, and redirect federally funded research. In such a rapidly changing environment, I will examine past examples of the role of research and technology development in driving change in policies, practices, and products. While I do not promise to resolve all the promises and perils, I will suggest some possible ways forward for solutions-oriented sustainability research in government and universities.