The “Science of Science Policy”: reflections on the important questions and the challenges they present

Developing the “Science of Science Policy” will require data collection and analysis related to the processes of innovation and technological change, and the effects of government policy on those processes. There has been much work on these topics in the last three decades, but there remain difficult problems of finding proxies for subtle concepts, endogeneity, distinguishing private and social returns, untangling cumulative effects, measuring the impact of government programs in a true “but for” sense, and sorting out national and global effects. I offer observations on how to think about these issues. This paper was presented as the Keynote Address at the NSF Workshop on Advancing Measures of Innovation: Knowledge Flows, Business Metrics, and Measurement Strategies, Arlington, VA, June 2006.     

Positive Resolution of Childhood Sexual Abuse Experiences: The Role of Coping,Benefit-Finding and Meaning-Making

Resolution of the trauma of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and the current adjustment of 60 adult female CSA survivors were explored through qualitative and quantitative analyses of their coping strategies, perceived benefits, and meaning-making attempts. While the majority of the women (87%) perceived at least some benefit resulting from coping with the CSA experience, many (29%) found it impossible to make any meaning of their trauma. Specific benefits that were associated with various aspects of positive adjustment (marital satisfaction, better physical health, less isolation) included improved relationships with others, religious or spiritual growth, and improved parenting skills. Some perceived benefits were actually associated with a negative outcome. Increased knowledge of sexual abuse was associated with more isolation and lower marital satisfaction. When positive meaning could be derived from the coping process, the women reported less isolation. Avoidant coping was strongly associated with more depressive symptoms and poorer resolution of abuse issues. Results highlight the importance of considering coping strategies and cognitive restructuring efforts in designing therapeutic interventions with this population. Portions of this paper were presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Psychological Association, May 2004, Chicago, IL.     

Verstoß gegen § 17 TierSchG durch Lebendhälterung von Köderfischen?

Zusammenfassung Mit Urteil vom 29. Oktober 2007 hat das Amtsgericht Hannover einen Angler wegen Versto?es gegen § 17 Nr. 2 b des Tierschutzgesetz (TierSchG) zu einer Geldstrafe in H?he von 15 Tagess?tzen verurteilt. Nach den Feststellungen des Gerichts hatte der Angeklagte am 16.11.2007 sechzig Rotfedern zum Zwecke der Verwendung als K?derfische in einem insgesamt zehn Liter fassenden, jedoch zeitweise lediglich mit sieben Litern Wasser gefüllten ovalf?rmigen Eimer zur weiteren Verwendung zwischengeh?ltert. Im Verlauf der H?lterung schwammen einige der Fische an die Oberfl?che, woraus das Gericht auf einen zwischenzeitlichen Sauerstoffmangel im Beh?ltnis schloss. Nach Auffassung des AG Hannover stellt das Verhalten des Anglers insgesamt einen Versto? gegen § 17 TierSchG in der Modalit?t des Zufügens von l?nger anhaltenden erheblichen Leiden nach Nr. 2 b dar.