Recent controversies, such as those around genetically engineered crops and stem cell research, have resulted in interest in the social responsibility of science. Both Danish and international policy reports have discussed how to ensure that new scientific fields (such as bio- or nanotechnology) will be conducted in a legitimate, responsible manner, and respect societal and ethical values. However, not much is known about how these reports influence the daily practicalities of scientific research, or about what scientists themselves think about social responsibility. The Scientific Social Responsibility project explores these questions by looking at the interaction between three levels: the political and institutional level, where reports are written and policies are articulated; the managerial level of scientific organisations, where strategies and goals are planned; and the practical level in the laboratories, where individual scientists decide how they create new knowledge in the best way.

You can read more about the project here.