The ISSP teaching and training activities offer unique and innovative opportunities to transfer knowledge from the Institute members to dozens of graduate students (Postdocs, PhDs and Master’s) per year.

SSP Courses

Undergraduate SSP courses offered by ISSP faculty

SCI 4100: Special Topics in Science, Society and Policy: A Primer on Science Policy (Offered Winter 2016 by Paul Dufour)

This undergraduate course will look at the nature of science policy, including both policy in aid of scientific research and development, and the use of science in evidence-informed policy. The course will focus on the science policy process, including participating actors and institutions, the evaluation of science policy impact, science policy governance, and emerging international and national trends in science policy.

Graduate SSP courses offered by ISSP faculty

ISP 5101 / GEG 5105Decision-making at the Interface of Science and Policy
(Offered Fall 2015 by Marc Saner)

In this interactive seminar we will discuss the integration of evidence and judgment, facts and values, and science and policy in decision-making.  We will look at the broad spectrum of related topics: How scientific are risk assessments? Are evidence-based policy decisions really based on policy? Are we not rather sometimes dealing with “policy-based evidence making”?  How is ethics integrated in decision-making? How are issues that have an important science component communicated to the public?  How is public and citizen science included in decision-making?  How do scientists and policymakers work together?  We will also address the policies that guide the scientific and engineering enterprises in Canada.