2016 AAAS Annual Meeting (February 11-15, 2016)

February 10 - 15, 2016

U.S. and Global Public Opinion on Science and Technology Issues

This symposium builds on the planned February 2016 release of Science and Engineering Indicators 2016 with a discussion of the current state of public opinion about science and technology (S&T) in the U.S. and around the world. Science and Engineering Indicators is the National Science Board’s biennial report to the U.S. Congress on S&T, and includes a detailed chapter on “public attitudes and understanding.” It uses the best available data from the U.S. and around the world to paint a portrait of what Americans think about S&T in relation to previous years and other countries. The report includes extensive public opinion data from the Pew Research Center and Gallup on key S&T issues, such as climate change, energy, and health topics. An additional primary data source is a special section of the General Social Survey, including questions the National Science Foundation has fielded for more than three decades that address both public knowledge about S&T and attitudes toward S&T. The symposium includes an overview on key results from the General Social Survey related to S&T interest and engagement, knowledge about facts and processes, confidence in science, and funding support. Speakers will also address other relevant data related to public views about S&T.