Mission critical: a generation of social scientists and humanities scholars well-versed in space
- Paper number
IAC-12,E1,4,3,x15857
- Author
Prof. Kathryn Denning, York University, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Margaret Race, SETI Institute, United States
- Year
2012
- Abstract
The training of space scientists and engineers is significantly outpacing the training of researchers in the social sciences and humanities with in-depth knowledge of space science and exploration activities. Increased spacefaring and incremental solar system colonization will lead to a wide range of human impacts – not just for those directly involved, but also for the social, political, economic, and spiritual systems of those who remain Earth-bound. In terms of human impacts: what happens in space, doesn’t stay in space. Accordingly, more space-literate scholars of humanity are needed, and fast, to anticipate near-future developments, share their knowledge with stakeholders ranging from the public to governments to scientists to corporations, and advise policy-makers. This paper will review some activities of the Astrobiology & Society Focus Group of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, towards the consolidation of a research community which will encourage the training of postgraduate students in these crucial areas.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)