This project examines the professional development of graduate students in emerging but contentious scientific fields, and the possible implications for their future careers in science. For this project, contentious science is science for which there are "substantive ethical concerns that may lead scientists as well as the broader public to call the value of scientific inquiry into question and inspire policy responses that hinder rather than advance scientific progress." The project focuses on two specific fields of contentious science: stem cell science and bio-nanotechnology. This work has potential to inform training of future scientists for research in contentious fields and, thus, to contribute to long-term efforts to stimulate innovative research in these emerging areas of research.
The project's activities will include two phases of research. In the first phase, the PI will conduct interview studies with graduate students and early-career scientists. The purpose of this phase is to refine a theoretical framework about the factors that may influence graduate students' decisions to enter, stay in, or leave research programs in contentious science. The findings will inform the second phase, a three-wave panel survey of graduate students. This panel survey will provide data on graduate students in contentious science fields, compared to students in similar but non-contentious research areas. Results will be analyzed to understand the relative influence of factors that influence career choices and research decisions. The extent to which ethical controversy disproportionately affects the graduate education and career development of women and underrepresented minorities will also be addressed.
