This Professional Development Fellowship allows a plant molecular biologist, to study citizen-scientist collaboration under the direction of a social scientist at North Carolina State University as well as several other mentors. The objective of the proposed fellowship research is to evaluate effects of citizen-scientist collaboration on participants' perceptions; the case to be studied is the North Carolina Wood Chip Production Study (NCWCPS), a comprehensive study of impacts associated with chip mills in rural North Carolina. Mandated in response to public outcry against increased chip mill operations and associated forest clear cutting. the NCWCPS incorporated various citizen-science collaborative efforts, including a citizen advisory committee. Citizens and scientists worked together to refine and reframe the problem definition and study questions through extensive analysis and deliberation. The guiding hypothesis for this work is that the citizen-scientist collaboration resulted in a significant improvement of participants' perception of each other and the study itself, and the scientists' self-perception. Archival documents and in- person interviews of the NCWCPS participants will be used to examine the initial and evolving problem definitions and study questions and changes in participants' perceptions. The fellowship training will include graduate-level courses on relevant social science research methods, direct observation of ongoing cases of collaborative dispute resolution in natural resources issues around North Carolina, coordination of a Research Ethics Seminar Series with the Director of Research Ethics at NCSU, literature reviews, and in-depth discussions with the host specialists, who also include the director and the associate director of the Natural Resources Leadership Institute that organized and facilitated the NCWCPS public participation component. They will provide all available records and assistance in reaching the advisory committee members, government representatives and the scientists. After the completion of the fellowship, the findings will be presented to academic scientists and graduate students through the Research Ethics Seminar Series, to undergraduate students in a science, technology and society course, to the local community through Natural Resources Leadership Institute workshops and written reports, and in national meetings and through publications for academic audiences and practitioners of collaborative dispute resolution.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES)
Application #
0328433
Program Officer
Linda Layne
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2003-09-01
Budget End
2004-08-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$68,000
Indirect Cost
Name
North Carolina State University Raleigh
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Raleigh
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27695