How Science Can and Can't Inform Environmental Policy and Decision Making

Environmental policies and management strategies are more effective when they are informed by science than when they are not. However, there are some questions that science is not well suited to address, such as, “What aspects of the environment should be protected and to what level?” or “What level of risk is acceptable?”. Using examples from chemical risk assessment under US and EU legislation, Forbes will explore how science can inform decision making and when involvement of other disciplines and stakeholders is needed.

Valery Forbes was appointed dean of the College of Biological Sciences in July, 2015. She received her Ph.D. from the University of New York-Stony Brook. Before becoming dean of the College of Biological Sciences, Forbes served as director of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and as founding chair of the Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change at Roskilde University in Denmark.

Co-sponsored by the College of Biological Sciences; the Institute on the Environment; the Program in History of Science and Technology; and the Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy.