On Thursday February 25th, the final event of the NERRI project (Neuro-enhancement; Responsible Research and Innovation) was held at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). Nearly 40 people attended the session, where the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and this European project on neuro-enhancement have been explained.
Gema Revuelta, director of the Science, Communication and Society Studies Centre from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, has been in charge of the workshop, with the collaboration of Núria Saladié, coordinator of the local activities of NERRI. After an informative first half, the second half of the
session has been participatory. In rotating groups of 5 or 6 people, interesting scientific topics on which aspects of RRI have been identified in a group and consensual manner, and ways to involve citizens through advocacy and mutual learning activities have been sought. The topics emerged have been genetic edition (CRISPR), participatory plant breeding, fracking, pharmacological treatment of obesity and vaccines. Groups have tried to identify which social actors are the most relevant in each case and what activities would be more effective to involve them. Decide Game, participatory theater, popular consultations, scientific cafes, televised debates and referenda, among others, have been some of the ideas.
Now that the NERRI project is about to end, this open workshop has gone beyond the debate on neuro-enhancement: the project experience has been shared and it has been started a deeper debate about what current issues must be moved into the public arena to get the whole society involved in their developing.
More information:
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Este blog cuenta con la colaboración de la Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología – Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación