Lewenstein, Bruce Voss
Professor
Dr. Bruce V. Lewenstein is a widely-known authority on public communication of science and technology—how science and technology are reported to the public and how the public understands controversial scientific issues and "emerging technologies" such as biotechnology and nanotechnology. Trained as a historian of science, he often uses historical case studies in his research. He has also done extensive work evaluating "citizen science" outreach projects, in which citizens fully participate in the scientific process by gathering, entering, and sometimes analyzing scientific data.
research
research and scholarship focus
My current research looks at a historical understanding of how science information flows among scientists, policymakers, the general public, and other audiences.
primary investigator of
- DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH: LISA ONAGA: SILKWORM AND THE STATE-THE ART OF SELECTIVE BREEDING IN JAPAN IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY | Research Grant
- DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH IN DRMS: AN INVESTIGATION OF THEMATIC AND STRUCTURAL FRAME COMPONENTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE MESSAGES FOR LAY AUDIENCES | Research Grant
co investigator of
research areas
- adult and extension education | collaborative research area (CALS)
- biotechnology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- genomics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- information science | collaborative research area (CALS)
- intellectual property | collaborative research area (CALS)
- international development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- nanotechnology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- new life sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- ornithology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- science and technology studies | collaborative research area (CALS)
- science education | collaborative research area (CALS)
submitted impact statement
- Supporting scientists in doing outreach | 2007 Impact statement
- Global seminar in science communication | 2006 Impact statement
- Global seminar on science communication | 2005 Impact statement
- Global seminar on science communication | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
head of
- Ethical, Legal and Social Issues | NLSI/Genomics focus area
faculty appointment in
- Communication (COMM) | Cornell department
- Science and Technology Studies (S&TS) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Communication | graduate field
- Science and Technology Studies | graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
- Media and Society Research Group | research program
teaching
teaching focus
I teach a variety of courses focused on science communication. I also teach a large introductory Communication course.
teaches
- BSOC 3751 - Independent Study (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4970 - Individual Study in Communication (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4980 - Communication Teaching Experience (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 4990 - Independent Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 7970 - Graduate Independent Study (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 7980 - Communication Teaching Laboratory (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 7990 - Graduate Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- STS 3991 - Undergraduate Independent Study (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- STS 6991 - Graduate Independent Study (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- COMM 2850 - Communication in Life Sciences (MWF 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 4970 - Individual Study in Communication (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 4980 - Communication Teaching Experience (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 4990 - Independent Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 6910 - Seminar: Topics in Communication (M 01:25:PM-02:55:PM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 7970 - Graduate Independent Study (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 7980 - Communication Teaching Laboratory (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 7990 - Graduate Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- STS 2851 - Communication in Life Sciences (MWF 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | spring 2009 class
- COMM 1101 - Cases in Communication (MWF 09:05:AM-09:55:AM) | fall 2008 class
- COMM 3520 - Science Writing for the Mass Media (MW 11:15:AM-12:05:PM) | fall 2008 class
- COMM 6910 - Seminar: Topics in Communication (F 01:25:PM-02:15:PM) | fall 2008 class
- STS 3521 - Science Writing for the Mass Media (MW 11:15:AM-12:05:PM) | fall 2008 class
service
outreach focus
I work often with science outreach staff to help them understand where their work fits into the overall science communication system.
current professional activities
- Editor, Public Understanding of Science
- Former Participant in the Center for Nanoscale Systems
event participant
background
educational background
- Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1987
- M.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1985
- B.A., University of Chicago, 1980
featured in
- Free articles get read but don't generate more citations, Cornell study finds | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Zoos, documentaries and hiking are vital to science literacy, finds new report | Cornell Chronicle feature
Keywords: and social issues, ELSI, ethical, ethical legal and social issues, legal, nanotechnology, popularization, popular science, science communication, SEI, social and ethical issues