The Problem with Public Engagement in Nanotech

After reading TNTLogâ''s experience with a European Commission funded public engagement exercise between nanoscientists in the UK and their lay people neighbors, I have a theory on where these public engagement exercises usually go wrong.

The problem is not with the lay people, and the problem is not with the nanoscientists, the problem starts with the mediators who have accepted public funds to somehow measure the exchange between the two.

How this interchange is measured is anyoneâ''s guess. I certainly have no idea, but I suppose that is the alchemy of the social scientist; itâ''s probably better that we donâ''t know.

But after the measuring, we certainly see the results of their particular form of abracadabra: the bone chilling scare screed about how the public expect swarms of nanobots to overrun their neighborhood, or how nanobots will be spying on them as they use the bathroom.

I have a suggestion (I offer this with the understanding that it will be completely ignored), letâ''s increase the number of these public engagement exercises, but at the same time letâ''s eliminate the intermediary between the scientists and the public. And letâ''s absolutely abolish the dreaded reports that are produced afterwards.

I would be satisfied just knowing that four or five scientists spent an hour talking to and answering questions from a room full of lay people.