Emily L. Howell, PhD

I do research and create partnerships that advance communication, collaboration, and decision-making on science- and risk-related issues in society and our everyday lives.  My work focuses on a "civic science" approach, looking at how we can have better science and better democratic governance and decision-making by creating stronger connections between diverse perspectives and priorities in science and civic life.  The motivation driving this work is figuring out how we can better share information and learn across value divisions and diverse interests. The goal is to improve our understanding of the world, what is possible, and what we want to do to address complex issues we face -- whether that's COVID-19 or future pandemics, emerging technologies in artificial intelligence or biotech, our energy systems and climate change responses, or other shared challenges that require building solutions that include and benefit all of us. This includes research and research-practice partnerships on we can reduce polarization and improve representation of diverse citizens and viewpoints in decision-making. 

I am currently a Civic Science Researcher and Learning Program Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication and for the Civic Science Fellows Program. I'm originally from Missoula, Montana and currently based in Hamburg, Germany.