Can Good Science Go Bad? How Scientists Confront the Dual-Use Implications of Their Work
“Can Good Science Go Bad?,” a symposium jointly organized by BISO and Student Pugwash USA was held October 27, 2006, at the National Academy of Sciences in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the International Council for Science (ICSU). View the Program Agenda.		Student-led collaboration group
The event, which explored the challenges faced by biologists in examining the potential dual-use implications of their research, featured a four-member panel discussion moderated by Science Magazine’s Yudhijit Bhattacharjee. Geared toward the next generation of biologists, the symposium drew more than 60 university students from the local and national area.
ICSU: Building Bridges Across Disciplines Following welcoming remarks from BISO Director Wendy White and Student Pugwash USA Executive Director Christine Rovner, Laurie Geller, ICSU’s Science Officer for Scientific Planning and Review, provided a historical overview of ICSU. Dr. Geller’s specifically detailed ICSU’s continuing mission with regard to bridging scientific disciplines, regions, and activities.	Participant Presentations (PDF Format)
	Laurie Geller Harvey Rubin Gigi Kwik Gronvall Christina Smolke Michael Stebbins
Balancing the Pursuit of Scientific Inquiry Speaker Harvey Rubin, Director of the Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response at the University of Pennsylvania and Member of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), cautioned that life scientists must balance the pursuit of scientific inquiry with the need to enhance biosecurity protections. However, Dr. Rubin stressed that awareness of dual-use concerns did not indicate that a certain research project was not important and felt that biosecurity protections should preserve the free dissemination of results to the greatest extent possible. Dr. Rubin also explained the NSABB’s advisory role to U.S. federal departments and agencies that conduct or support life science research. The Usefulness of Awareness: Connecting Safety and Response Strategies Continuing the theme of scientific responsibility, Gigi Kwik Gronvall, Center for Biosecurity, University of Pittsburgh, stressed that scientists are in the best position to judge both the benefits and potential implications of their research, and should be actively involved in self-governance. However, scientists must go beyond awareness and should integrate aspects such as laboratory safety and response strategies into their consideration of dual-use issues. Synthetic Biology: The Cell and Engineered Biosystems Christina Smolke, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, detailed the opportunities, challenges, and dual-use implications of the developing field of synthetic biology, which has the potential to make diverse contributions to medicine, health, energy, and the environment. Case Study Analysis and Concluding Discussions Following the presentations, meeting participants put their understanding of dual-use issues to the test in student-led working groups. They examined the real-life case of Australian scientists who faced dual-use dilemmas in their research on the mouse pox virus, with guidance from the morning's speakers. The half-day symposium concluded with an analysis of a biological research case study led by Michael Stebbins of the Federation of American Scientists and a collaborative student-led discussion of the day’s events.