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MEDIA ADVISORY: MU to Discuss Importance of Research at Broader Impacts Infrastructure Summit

April 24th, 2013

Story Contact: Christian Basi, 573-882-4430, BasiC@missouri.edu

WHAT:

The University of Missouri will host the 2013 National Broader Impacts Infrastructure Summit. The summit will feature guest speakers from around the country to discuss the importance of “broader impacts” of scientific research.
Currently, the National Science Foundation (NSF) requires scientists to discuss how their research can have a “broader impact” on the public. Activities that explain these broader impacts include public displays, presentations to school children or promotions to media outlets that help explain why some research is very important despite being difficult for the average person to understand. The MU Broader Impacts Network works to train faculty and staff on how they can make sure their research extends beyond the laboratory.

“The purpose of this summit is to bring together professionals and experts to discuss how the requirements for broader impacts can affect universities and the nation,” said Susan Renoe, director of the MU Broader Impacts Network. “NSF has highlighted the importance of broader impacts at universities because the impact that they have beyond the initial research is not always evident.”

WHO:

Keynote speaker:
Wanda Ward, head of the Office of Integrative Activities at NSF

Other speakers include:

  • Douglas Randall, professor emeritus and director emeritus of the Interdisciplinary Plant Group at MU, and member of the National Science Board
  • Susan Cook, former NSF program officer for the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence
  • Diane Rover, professor and department chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University
  • Robert Frodeman, director of the Center for the Study of Interdisciplinarity and professor of philosophy at the University of North Texas
  • Britt Holbrook, assistant director of the Center for the Study of Interdisciplinarity and research assistant professor of philosophy at the University of North Texas
  • Kemi Jona, research professor of learning sciences and computer science at Northwestern University
  • Kaye Storm, director of the Office of Science Outreach at Stanford University

WHEN & WHERE:

Wednesday, April 24 – Friday, April 26
Bond Life Sciences Center, MU campus
For a detailed schedule of events, please visit: http://muconf.missouri.edu/broaderimpacts /schedule.html

NOTE: The event is by invitation only; media are invited to attend the event.

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