The gap of knowledge about new technology is growing between the public and the scientific community, experts say.

Peter Orazem, professor of economics, said a lot of universities have been looking into this problem.

“Clearly, the pace of science is accelerating,” Orazem said, “and there are issues about how the economy is and how the public will accept these new technologies.”

To help the ISU science community reach out to the public and inform them of new technologies, Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Peter Rabideau and professors at Iowa State created the Iowa State Institute of Science and Society.

The Iowa Board of Regents approved the institute June 19.

Yong Lee, professor of political science, said he would like the institute to try to close the gap of knowledge.

“Genetically modified foods is a serious example,” he said. “The public isn’t familiar with the trade war, and the controversy reported in the media is largely confined to political rhetoric.”

Orazem and Lee are co-directors of the institute.

The institute is an interdisciplinary center for different faculty from six ISU colleges to research together. The faculty members will research how policies, advancements and previous discoveries will affect the public, industry and the policy makers themselves, Orazem said.

“The research may include sociology professors who are studying adolescent behavior to the acceptance of genetic food,” Orazem said. “Our job is to make it as costless [as possible] for people to work with each other on campus.”

There are three major expectations that the institute should fulfill, Lee said.

“One goal is to promote research on the relationship between science and society,” he said. “We want to encourage our faculty members to look at the social dimensions of science and examine the risks and benefits of science technology as they relate to society.”

The second goal is to facilitate public dialogue of science, Lee said.

“We will provide or create a public forum in which academia, industrialists and the public can carry on dialogue that affect societies.”

The last goal is to bring international scholars and experts to campus to increase the interest of students and faculty in the social dimensions of science, he said.

Lee said he is in the process of organizing an international conference on genetically modified foods.

“The purpose of this conference is to hear the concerns or voices of American farmers, consumers and the industry,” Lee said. “There have been conferences on this before, but there hasn’t been a chance to get the farmers’ input on how they feel.”

Lee does not know when the conference will take place, but he hopes it will be soon, he said.

“We need to reach out to everyone and let them know how this new technology will affect them and get their thoughts on it,” he said.

Besides providing research for the faculty members, Lee and Orazem agree students should be able to get involved as well.

Lee said he would like every student and faculty to have a broader knowledge of science and technology.

“Iowa State is a good place to start because it’s a premier land grant university, especially with its close ties to agriculture,” he said.