NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE SCIENTIFIC FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY AWARD This prestigious award has been given by the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 1980. The successful candidate receives a plaques and $5000 and is honored at a lovely ceremony at the AAAS Annual Meeting (next February in Seattle). The award is given to scientists or engineers or their associations whose exemplary actions have served to foster scientific freedom and responsibility. Such achievements can include: acting to protect the public's health, safety or welfare; focusing public attention on important potential impacts of science and technology on society by their responsible participation in public policy debates; or establishing important new precedents in carrying out the social responsibilities or in defending the professional freedom of scientists and engineers. The 2002 award was given to Dr. L. Dennis Smith, president of the University of Nebraska for his staunch defense of academic freedom and for his advocacy for the responsible conduct of scientific research. In the face of intense opposition from the governor and members of the state legislature, he defended scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical School, who were conducting important research that used tissue from aborted fetuses. Additionally, he set a precedent for the responsible conduct of research by establishing the first university bioethics commission in the country. Some other past winners are: Anatoly Koryagin -- A psychiatrist in the Soviet Union, Dr. Koryagin made public the fact that political opponents of the Soviet government were being falsely diagnosed as having psychiatric disorders, hospitalized in special institutions, and treated with strong and potentially dangerous medications. He was imprisoned for making these revelations, lost his ability to practice medicine in his country, and was subsequently deported. Colegio Medico do Chile (Medical Association of Chile) -- This association took a public stand protesting the practice of torture by the government of Chile, particularly decrying the role of some physicians in tacitly supporting the practice by hiding it through the issuance of false certificates of death. Francisco Ayala, Norman Newell, and Stanley Weinberg -- This award was given jointly for the efforts of the awardees in alerting scientists and the public to the danger to the scientific enterprise and to sound scientific education posed by the creationist movement. Adrian Morrison -- A veterinarian whose scientific research focuses on the neural mechanisms associated with sleep, Dr. Morrison defended the right of scientists to use animals in their research and promoted responsible research practices among those scientists. Dr. Morrison continued to speak out even when his life was threatened and his adult children received threatening telephone calls. Daniel Albritton and Robert Watson -- Drs. Albritton and Watson not only spent their careers conducting research on crucial environmental issues, but also served as effective advocates in the public policy arena to help promote international cooperation and action to reverse the potentially dangerous effects of the disappearance of atmospheric ozone. Mathilde Krim and June Osborn -- Long before it was fashionable, Drs. Krim and Osborn were outspoken in their promotion of research efforts to find treatments for AIDS, to stem the spread of HIV through prevention and education, and to dispel ignorance about the disease and fear of those who are infected. Vil Sultanovich Mirzayanov -- A chemist in the Soviet Union, Dr. Mirzayanov exposed that country's continuing manufacture of dangerous chemical weapons, in the face of official denials and in violation of the spirit of international agreements. Dr. Mirzayanov was arrested, imprisoned and, after his release, denied employment. Daniel Callahan -- Dr. Callahan is the co-founder and for many years was president of the Hastings Center, an institution that has greatly furthered interdisciplinary dialogue on the responsible conduct of science. His leadership and guidance led to the establishment of a world center that serves as a home for scholars and fellows, from both the humanities and the sciences, to pursue interests in education and research on ethical and policy issues in the life and social sciences, in medicine and in the professions. Salim Kheirbek -- As an active member of the Syrian Engineers Association, Mr. Kheirbek spoke out on behalf of the civil rights of all Syrians and protested the government's disbanding of all independent professional associations. Because of his outspoken defense of the rights of engineers and other professionals to form their own societies independent of state control, he was arrested and imprisoned for more than 12 years. Further, he refused to sign a document pledging loyalty to the state, thus paying the price of prolonged imprisonment. Roger Boisjoly - as an engineer employed by a NASA contractor, Mr. Boisjoly argued (unsuccessfully) with his employer and with the government that because of unresolved and potentially dangerous engineering problems (including the now-infamous O ring) the upcoming Challenger launch should be cancelled. Dr. Howard Schachman, Professor of the Graduate School and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and former chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology. for his outstanding contributions, over a fifty-year period,to protect and promote values key to the scientific enterprise. For example, Dr. Schachman was at the center of the debate over the manner in which research fraud/misconduct should be addressed by the federal government. While strongly supporting government efforts to curb fraud in science, Dr. Schachman began a decade-long struggle to insure that regulations would not impinge on the freedoms that allow scientists to be creative in their pursuit of knowledge. While some of the awardees have risked their freedom and even physical safety by their actions, others are honored for activities that demonstrate their devotion to the values most honored in the scientific community. Additionally, while some award winners are distinguished scientists or scholars, this is not a requirement for award selection. Any help you can provide in spreading the word about the AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award would be appreciated. To submit a nomination... * Send the names, addresses, phone number, and e-mail of both the nominator and the nominee. * A summary of the action(s) that form the basis for the nomination (about 250 words). * A longer statement (no more than three pages) providing additional details of the action(s) for which the candidate is nominated. * At least two letters of support, with addresses and phone numbers. * The candidate's vita (no more than three pages). * Any documentation (books, articles, or other materials) that elucidates the significance of the nominee's achievement may also be submitted. (All materials become property of AAAS.) Nominations are due June 1. You may see information about the award on the AAAS web site at http://www.aaas.org/about/awards/freedom.shtml I welcome phone calls or e-mail inquiries from persons wishing to make a nomination, in order to give these individuals guidance before they begin the nomination process. Thanks for your help. Deborah Runkle Senior Program Associate American Association for the Advancement of Science 1200 New York Ave., NW Washington, DC 20005 phone: 202.326.6794 fax: 202.289.4950 e-mail: drunkle@aaas.org ========== Psychology and Human Rights listserv ========== Send mail intended for the list to <psychology-humanrights-l@hrea.org>. 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