What We Do
Courses
The MIT Science Impact Collaborative offers two kinds of courses and develops teaching materials that can be used in a wide range of university-based and community-based educational programs. At MIT, we have developed an Environmental Planning Certificate Program curriculum to help teach graduate students in a range of professional degree programs about the best ways of handling scientific and technical controversies surrounding public policy decisions of various kinds. We offer training for governmental employees who get involved in these kinds of controversies. The Science Impact Collaborative has also developed Teaching Simulations that can be used to help community residents learn more about the scientific or technical issues being debated in various public policy controversies, like the question of whether and how to adapt to the risks associated with climate change.
Projects
Graduate student interns are involved in a range of projects testing and developing new approaches to natural resources management and environmental policy. Our focus is on examining a range of collective decision making processes and helping, as appropriate, to introduce new forms of collaborative governance. In addition to producing "deliverables" to meet agency deadlines, student-faculty teams are part of longer-term action-research efforts to document the advantages and disadvantages of collaborative approaches to environmental management. We are currently working on a series of projects that focus on aspects of climate change. MUSIC faculty and interns work closely with the Consensus Building Institute for advice and guidance on stakeholder involvement processes and to identify a team of experienced environmental mediators if needed.