Science and policy: scientific expertise and individual participation in boundary management

ABSTRACT

Boundary theory has assumed that two distinct organizations—scientists and policy-makers—can interface with one another via an external boundary organization, yet boundary management contexts often call for different strategies where a neutral third party is not involved. Recent scholarship has highlighted alternative models for boundary organizations, including the emergence of boundary organizations within universities. Most of these studies have taken an organizational perspective, yet as universities increasingly fulfill the role of boundary organizations by direct engagement with policy-makers, we need a deeper understanding of the roles scientists should play within this context. This study highlights the need to understand context before designing and implementing boundary management strategies, and considers the complexities of direct engagement between scientists and policy-makers. We draw from a case study conducted in Maine to argue that there are contexts in which scientists need to manage and span the science–policy boundary. The complexities involved in preparing scientists to engage more thoroughly in policy activities and the challenges in garnering institutional support for advancing the participation of scientists in boundary-spanning activities are explored.

KEYWORDS:

• State policy
• boundary spanning
• science communication
• science–policy

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the continuous support of Jake Ward, Paul Ferguson, Jennifer O'Leary, and Chris Rector in this research endeavor and resulting programs. We would also like to acknowledge the support of numerous staff, administrators, and faculty at the University of Maine who helped make the Faculty Fellows a reality. Lastly, we extend appreciation to members of the Maine State Legislature for participating in this research and resulting programs.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Hollie Smith http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3514-1164

Notes

1. See http://www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/ for more information.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation [EPS-0904155].