Ethical Markets correspondent Melanie Feliciano attended the “Reinventing Technology Assessment” meeting in DC. Her report was edited by Rosalinda Sanquiche.
The April 28, 2010, meeting REINVENTING TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC, addressed revisiting the need for an OTA – Office of Technology Assessment – in the US.
As new technologies emerge, an OTA would be tasked with studying the systems implications, applications, regulatory needs and precautionary principle considerations of emerging technology before it is unleashed, with little or no controls, on society. Given the frequency with which governments are asked to support new technologies through appropriations, either via research or actual use, examining the possible ramifications of the technology is only wise.
Panelists Richard Sclove and Paul Stern, with moderator David Rejeski, led the discussion. Rejeski admitted his shock in 1995 when OTA was dismantled (originally opened in 1972). Ethical Markets Media president, Hazel Henderson served on OTA’s Advisory Council from its inception in 1974 until 1980 and has one of the few complete libraries of the research and findings from that period. The GAO eventually took over the functions of the OTA.
“In 2010, I’m much more optimistic than 5-10 years ago. Richard Sclove’s report is positive. The question is how to revive the OTA. Within Congress? Outside Congress? A hybrid? I’m not sure what form a new OTA will take,” admitted Rejeski.
Richard Sclove presented the findings of his report, “Reinventing Technology Assessment: A 21st Century Model” which demonstrates how European participatory technology assessment involves citizens and how the internet makes PTA (involving lay members) and TA easier to administer. During her tenure on OTA’s Advisory Council, Hazel Henderson initiated its citizen participation program which became part of every OTA study, with hearings from citizens around the country on impacts of various technologies on jobs, income and the environment (see H. Henderson, Creating Alternative Futures, Chapter 19 “Technology Assessment,” 1978, 1996; H. Henderson, The Politics of the Solar Age, Chapter 12 “Science and Technology: The Revolution from Hardware to Software,” 1981, 1988).
Modeled after OTA, the PTA process in Denmark includes a panel of diverse participants taking weeks to review background information; expert and stakeholder public testimony; a lay panel deliberation; and a lay panel report and press conference delivered to the Danish Parliament. As a result, for example, Danish citizens understand their country’s biotech policy better than citizens in other countries. Similar results were demonstrated at the Boston Consensus Conference on Biomonitoring.
The panel suggested that criteria for a 21st Century model in the US be:
1. Composed of both participatory and expert members
2. Distributed, agile, collaborative
3. Institutionally non-partisan
4. Integrated into government policy making
5. Continuously innovative in concepts and practices.
TA capability within Congress is valuable but may not be sufficient. Having a system outside of Congress would provide flexibility and allow for greater participation from groups already working in this field like ECAST (Expert & Citizen Assessment of Science & Technology), the Woodrow Wilson Center, Arizona State University, the Boston Museum of Science, the ScienceCheerleader, the Loka Institute and other non-partisan research organizations, science museums and universities. “We do not propose replacing current TA systems”, says Paul Stern, “we want to work collaboratively.”
Reviving the OTA or establishing a complementary system needs to be a continuing commitment and long-term endeavor. Assessment should be ongoing because the technologies are constantly changing, advocates Stern, “You don’t do assessment just once and then it’s over.”