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Margaret Race
Workshop Report on Astrobiology Societal Issues: The Need for Research and Analysis of Our Collective Futures


Abstract

The field of Astrobiology has advanced our understanding of the origin, evolution and distribution of life on Earth and beyond—and has led to new understandings of the physical, chemical, biological and environmental processes that shape our lives, individually and at planetary scales.   Research in this field, coupled with bold plans for more distant, capable and longer-duration missions have begun to raise many concerns beyond science and technology per se.   While questions about extraterrestrial life and our place in the Universe have been raised for centuries, our era in history is unique in having the prospect of answering the questions directly through science and technology.  At this juncture, it is clear that mankind’s technological capabilities and dreams could literally alter the future existence and evolutionary trajectory of life itself —both on Earth and beyond.  

As astrobiology advances, there is a need to deliberate about science and its implications in an integrated way — considering both science issues and societal concerns together.   This presentation provides an overview of the range of societal issues and concerns that flow from current and planned activities in astrobiology—and frames them in a strategic research roadmap developed by a recent NASA supported workshop.  The workshop, held in February 2009, involved a mix of astrobiology scientists and experts in many fields--philosophy, ethics, theology, law, communications, social sciences, and other humanities areas.  The participants considered the types of societal questions and concerns that arise in astrobiology science and exploration, focusing on five main areas that span research on : 1) origin and evolution of life, 2)  distribution, diversity and persistence of life, 3) our relationships with life and environments on Earth,  4) our relationships with ‘other’ forms of life and environments elsewhere, and 5) future of life, both on Earth and beyond..   By considering each area from multidisciplinary perspectives, the workshop participants organized the questions and concerns in a way that led to development of a draft Astrobiology Roadmap of Societal Issues.

This roadmap of Astrobiology societal issues can be used as a guiding document for future research and activities in many areas.   The roadmap provides a systematic way to encourage science researchers to think about the broad significance and impacts of their work.  Moreover, it offers an effective way to connect with outside experts, and encourage them to consider promising research opportunities and novel collaborations that link the sciences and non-sciences.   In the long run, we are hopeful that the roadmap process will result in generation of new approaches and information that may be communicated to both research communities and the general public on the implications of astrobiology and our collective futures.  

Biography

Dr. Margaret Race, an ecologist at SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA. was the lead organizer of a recent NASA workshop on Astrobiology Societal Issues. Dr. Race is interested in environmental and policy implications of large-scale science and technology projects, particularly those associated with space exploration.  Her current work with NASA and the space science community involves developing and refining information on planetary protection policies and regulations for missions in the solar system.  Over the past decade, she served on numerous National Research Council (NRC) studies of forward and back contamination associated with missions to Mars and other celestial bodies.  In addition, she was an organizer and editor of a series of international workshops on the planetary protection implications of both Mars sample return missions and human missions to Mars.  In addition to her research and analytical work, Dr. Race is actively involved in science education and public outreach about astrobiology through the mass media, schools, museums, and presentations for general audiences.



 

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