Jameson Wetmore

Jameson Wetmore's work combines the fields of science and technology studies, ethics and public policy in order to better understand both the interconnected relationships between technology and society and the forces that change those relationships over time. His research spans a broad array of topics and time periods, but most of it comes back to a recurring question: How do people design and create technological systems, and, in turn, how do these technological systems help to define, reinforce and propagate specific values? For instance, Wetmore has studied how the Old Order Amish regulate the technologies they use in order to strengthen their communities. He has examined the complex systems in place in New Orleans to prevent disasters like Katrina, and he has explored how religious thinkers seek to influence the future of nanoscale research and policy.

As part of the Center for Engagement and Training in Science and Society, Wetmore creates ways for scientists, policymakers, and the general public to think about the ways in which science and technology shape our future. The Center develops science museum programs that examine the social impact of technological decisions, participatory technology assessment workshops to give members of the public an opportunity to debate the social aspects of emerging technologies, and training programs in science policy for scientists and engineers