Human Rights, Science, and Technology Webinar Series
Building for Progress: How Institutions Shape Human Rights and Technology
Friday, April 18, 2025 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM EDT
Online Location
Watch Recording Here:
Speaker:
Ryan M. Welch, Ph.D. is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Tampa. His research and teaching revolve around human rights, political violence, and institutions. For the 2024-2025 academic year he is spending his sabbatical as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) of the U.S. Government. There, his portfolio includes social science, international cooperation, and responsible development of nanotechnology.
Moderator:
John G. Dale, Associate Professor, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Director, Movement Engaged Research Hub, Center for Social Science Research, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Description:
Effective governance requires effective institutions. This is true whether the outcomes we care about are protecting our human rights or discovering and engineering technological breakthroughs. Drawing on his experiences in academia and government, Dr. Welch will speak about the ways that institutions can incentivize political actors to make decisions that enhance the public good. Using that framework, he will introduce two specialized and seemingly disparate examples—national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and the U.S. interagency coordination offices, especially the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) where he now works. The cases will highlight the mechanisms by which government institutions can make people safer and more prosperous.
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