Program on Science Technology and Society

The Program on Science, Technology and Society at UCLA’s Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life was established to examine and elucidate the larger impact of recent major developments in Science and Technology. The mission of the program is to help students, the lay public, and policy makers anticipate and comprehend the extraordinary changes that are shaping our world, and to support cutting-edge research that could catalyze key developments in important fields.

The Program organized the first significant conference on Human Germline Engineering, a special CSEOL symposium funded by grants from the Greenwall Foundation and the Sloan Foundation. It was held at Schoenberg Hall March 20, 1998, and a summary report was published in June. The symposium (www.ess.ucla.edu/huge) bought together leading scientists and ethicists to assess the potential of Human Germline Engineering in the coming two decades and explore the profound challenges it may pose.

The Program is currently organizing projects in the following areas:

Future Evolution

Extension of Human life expectancy and vitality

Economic and Cultural Globalization

Cultural implications of rapid, inexpensive global communications and trade

Environmental Issues

Population growth and other environmental concerns