Reddit AMA with Science & Society Experts

Thursday, May 7, 4 P.M. (EDT)

“Ask Us Anything” Related to Bioethics, Tech Ethics, Science Communication, and Science Policy on Reddit

What scientific, ethical, social, or policy related questions are at the top of your mind during this pandemic?

We are bioethicists, science communicators, and science policy experts here to answer your questions related to the pandemic.

Here’s how it works:

1. Visit the post on Reddit.com
2. If you want to participate, create an account and upvote the post and any questions you want to see answered. Otherwise you can spectate and read along without logging in.
3. The readers of the “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) community will submit their own questions and at 4 p.m. our experts will begin responding live. So be sure to check back at the end of the day for answers!

Question will be answered at 4 P.M. (EDT)

View the AMA Post and add your question

Meet the Experts:

Nita Farahany, PhD, JD – I’m a scholar on the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies. I was appointed by President Obama to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues and served until 2017. I established the Bioethics, Tech Ethics, and Science Policy Graduate Program at Duke to prepare students to identify, analyze, and propose solutions to issues like those we are seeing during this global health crisis. Twitter @ NitaFarahany

Thomas Wilson Williams, JD – I’m currently following FDA action, including human challenge trials, and have a pretty nuanced understanding of the federalism structure with respect to public health powers and the division of that power between the states and the federal government.

Ariana Eily, PhD – I’ve been paying careful attention to the communication aspects both from the scientific side as well as from the government, and comparing different channels of information to find ones that are very comprehensible. I’ve also been watching the different reactions across the board to try to find avenues of communication that could be effective as we move forward. Twitter @ Ari_Eily

Jory Weintraub, PhD – I’m happy to answer any questions about science communication, including specific questions about effective science communication during the pandemic and ways to talk about uncertainty in science (of which there is plenty, right now) and how to discuss controversial science topics in non-confrontational ways. Twitter @ JoryWeintraub

Michael “Buz” Waitzkin, JD – I practiced law in the District of Columbia for 35 years and have extensive experience in advising the biomedical research community on issues relating to legal and regulatory strategy and ethics. I now teach on those topics at Duke.

Ben Shepard – I’m a staff member with Duke Science & Society and a Master’s student in Duke’s Bioethics, Tech Ethics & Science Policy program. I’m interested in how big data, digital epidemiology, and data privacy are helping and/or harming the effort.