AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

News and Events Current: Visit our internships page and find out more about our summer internship opportunities. Current: The January edition of the Science and Human Rights Report is now available! Feb 16-18, 2012: Find out what the Program is up to at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver Feb 16, 2012: Workshop on Responsible Professional Practices in a Changing Research Environment Jan23, 2012: Seventh meeting of the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition. Dec 9, 2011: In celebration of Human Rights Day, the Program is conducting human rights training sessions for members of the AAAS community. Nov 10, 2011: Geospatial project releases Eyes on Nigeria, "Documentation of Petrochemical Release: Bodo, Nigeria" Nov 9, 2011: Brain on Trial event held for the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows.

Action Alert FindUs!

New Program: Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law

As part of a review of science and policy activities at AAAS, two of the Association's programs are merging into a new Program on Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law (SRHRL). The new Program will build on the highly successful work of the former programs on Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law and Science and Human Rights, both of which have produced a rich history of accomplishments since their beginnings in the 1970's.

SRHRL will continue many of the core activities of the two programs, such as those related to defending the freedom to engage in scientific inquiry, pioneering the application of science and technology to document human rights violations, promoting responsible research practices, and engaging policy makers and the larger public on the social, ethical and legal implications of advances in science and technology. We will retain many of the approaches that have served us well in the past, but will also be open to new ones.

With the formation of SRHRL comes a commitment to exploring new areas of synergy among science, ethics, law and human rights. The historical relationship among them has always existed, but the merger offers real opportunities to look at them through a more contemporary lens. To do this, we will benefit from integrating the expertise of staff and resources from the previous programs.

The new Program will benefit from the advice of two current AAAS standing committees - the Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility and the National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists, a joint committee with the American Bar Association. As always, we welcome partnerships with others in performing our work in ways that further the mission of AAAS "to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people." Please join us.

Have questions about the Program? Contact Us

(page updated 02/01/2012)