Developing an Interface for Science and Ethics, or DISE, is an education project intended to span the boundaries of science, engineering, technology, public policy, and philosophy. DISE aims to prepare the next generation of scientists and researchers by providing instruction in the fields of ethics and public policy to post-baccalaureate students who are in pursuit of graduate level degrees and careers in research, training these students so that they, as researchers, are able to communicate with individuals from outside of the sciences, actively engage in boundary-spanning discussions in national and international forums, and contribute meaningfully at the science-ethics interface. Plans include informing other science and engineering departments about the DISE model and pertinent issues that exist at the science-ethics interface.
The project permits students to 1) become independent learners, which is an important skill to develop for graduate school and in preparation for eventually becoming a principal investigator in research, 2) understand the broader utility of their research, and 3) hone their ability to interact with policy makers and the general public about contemporary research and its wider social implications. DISE will measure its success by measuring the communication and problem solving abilities of the future researchers in the immediate cohort and in graduate schools around the country, through the peer educator-style design of the dissemination scheme.
