Challenges and Opportunities for Education About Dual Use Issues in the Life Sciences (2011)

Questions for Session #1

1. What is the current extent of dual use education and “values education” in the life sciences internationally? In general are researchers aware of the concept of dual use research and “dual use research of concern”?

2. Where is dual use education for life scientists being introduced? Likely candidates include bioethics, responsible conduct of research training, and biosafety. What are the advantages (and disadvantages) of including dual use in each? What successes and failures have come as these programs have been carried out?

3. What is the range of resources currently available to support dual use education and what gaps currently exist?

Questions for Session #2

1. What can we learn from research on education and from experience in developing approaches and educational materials? Which pedagogical approaches, strategies and types of materials are likely to be most effective at enhancing awareness? At generating and sustaining interest and attention?

2. What types of educational models and approaches have been used and why were these approaches selected over others? How were these approaches developed? What methodology are they based

on? What approaches were proposed or considered but not implemented? Which approaches have not worked?

1. How should we move forward on developing and implementing educational approaches to dual use education? How can the implemented educational activities be designed to promote life science while mitigating misuse and risks to security? Who should be involved?

2. How can we tell if the approaches and materials are having the desired impact? How will we assess the effectiveness?

Questions for Session #3

1. Building on Breakout Session #1 how can dual use education and concepts be better integrated into the life sciences community (e.g., in training programs, institutional activities, etc.)? How can successful models be sustained over time?

2. What opportunities are there for additional work in the education area? How can it be accomplished in a collaborative manner, and in particular can it be accomplished on national, regional, and global scales? How can successful models be promoted and how can the importance of dual use education best be disseminated to others?

3. What have been the barriers, challenges, or hurdles to addressing the dual use research issue? How have these challenges been met or overcome? What challenges remain? Is there anything that could have been done differently in implementing any of these approaches to have made them more successful

4. How can we tell if the approaches and materials are having the desired impact? How will we assess the effectiveness?