Responsible science in support of improved implementation of export controls

	Webinar series to Promote Responsible Science in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. Responsible science in support of improved implementation of export controls
	21 Jul 2021, online

During four sessions in June, the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) hosted an online seminar programme on issues related to "Responsible Science". The seminar series was aimed at postgraduate students and early-career researchers from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova but generated interest amongst more senior researchers as well. In total, about 75 participants from the target countries took part in the series.

The aims of the series was to promote responsible science, to encourage thinking in relation to the implications of scientific and technological developments, and to enable scientists to communicate their work to people outside of their field.

Across the world, the training of scientists includes aspects of research integrity – such as the need for honesty, the perils of plagiarism and correct use of data. There is a growing recognition that as part of responsible science, scientists need a better understanding of potential negative impacts of scientific activities and encouragement to identify ways to reduce these.

A particular focus of the series was that advances in science and technology can provide possibilities for harm as well as providing benefits. But there is no objective measure about what is potentially beneficial and what is potentially harmful. Moreover, updates to regulations often lag far behind developments in scientific and technological understandings. Thus, the role of scientists in understanding the implications of their research and other activities is vital.

The participants heard from a variety of experts on topics ranging from personal choices in research activities to development of codes of conduct. The fourth session provided an opportunity for participants to present their own thoughts on the issues raised in the preceding sessions.

The convenor of the series, Dr Richard Guthrie, said "The move to an online format to discuss a subject like responsible science has been very effective. While there are some teaching activities that are harder to do in a virtual setting, this seminar series has shown there is much that can be done to generate interest amongst scientists about how they conduct themselves in their careers and how they can communicate their research activities and issues related to the impact of their research."

The online seminars were developed under the Targeted Initiative on Export Controls of Dual-Use Materials and Technologies funded by the European Union and implemented by the STCU for the GUAM Countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan,Moldova). The Targeted Initiative implements the EU Global Strategy and the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction).

Tools

Webinar series to Promote Responsible Science in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova.
Responsible science in support of improved implementation of export controls

Downloadable Materials

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