NSECCNS ASU Site Visit

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August 23, 2006
RTTA 4 Reflexivity, Assessment, and Evaluation
Program
Kevin Corley Assistant Professor W. P. Carey
School of Business
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• To establish scientists baseline perceptions of
  nano prior to project activities
• To assess understanding of social issues
  surrounding nano prior to project activities
• To explore relationships among key theoretical
  components related to professional behavior change

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Research Team Kevin Corley Ed Hackett Elizabeth
Corley Dave Conz Aixa Garcia-Mont
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OVERALL THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Practice
Identity
Knowledge
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ROLE OF ETHNIC IDENTITY THEORY
Identity
Practice
Knowledge
Aíxa García-Mont Graduate Research Assistant
How does ethnic identity influence the
relationship between knowledge and practice?
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• This study will explore the relationship between
  the subjects ethnic identity and his/her choices
  and practices as a potentially socially aware
  researcher
• Four main inquiries
• Will said subjects self identify with a
  particular ethnic community in the United States?
• Will ethnicity influence the choice of research
  problems they work on?
• How will ethnicity influence the way they
  envision the societal applications/implications
  of their research?
• How will identity/knowledge/practice differ in
  Latino NSE vs. Non-Latino NSE?

ROLE OF ETHNIC IDENTITY DETAILS
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ROLE OF ETHNIC IDENTITYDETAILS

• The limitations of the ethnic label of
  Latino/Hispanic
• Sample
• Initial Sample Latino scientists involved in
  Nanoscale Science and Engineering research and
  development
• Non-Latino scientists involved in Nanoscale
  Science and Engineering research and development
• Interviews on local scale in and around ASU

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SOCIETAL VIEWS NANO-RESEARCH THEORY
Practice
Kevin Corley Assistant Professor
Identity
Knowledge
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• Sample
• Researchers associated with the BioDesign
  Institute doing nanoscale science or engineering
  research and development
• 27 total (to date)
• 9 tenured faculty
• 3 untenured faculty
• 4 post-doctorate researchers
• 11 graduate students
• Data Collection
• In-depth semi-structured interviews
• Set protocol with detail prompts
• Duration average 1 hour

SOCIETAL VIEWS NANO-RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
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• Identity
• Not based in nano based in primary discipline
• Knowledge
• Aware of social issues, in general do not see
  connection with their research
• Practice
• Little to no influence from social aspects of
  nano-research
• Interrelationships
• Practice driven by identity
• Knowledge limited by identity
• Identity engrained through continued practice

SOCIETAL VIEWS NANO-RESEARCH INITIAL FINDINGS