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Conveners: William Clark and Nancy Dickson
When: Thursdays, 11:45 am - 2:00 pm, beginning 25 September 2003 (Presentations and initial Q&A from 11:45-1:00, followed by a short break and an in-depth discussion from 1:15-2:00. Students who need to leave at 1:00 for another class are welcome to join us.)
Where: Perkins Room (E-415), 4th Floor, Eliot Building, Kennedy School of Government (Map)
Description: Development "is built not merely through the accumulation of physical capital and human skill, but on a foundation of information, learning and adaptation" (World Development Report, 1999). But if multiple forms of knowledge are clearly core resources for development, these are resources that are often in short supply and unevenly accessible around the world. How to more fully and equitably exploit the potential contributions of knowledge to development is the theme for this 2003-2004 seminar series.
This seminar took a comparative look at "knowledge systems": organized efforts to harness science and technology in support of social goals. Seminar participants reviewed the rich history of experience with such systems -- ranging from the international agricultural research system to health research systems for the control of infectious diseases to military R&D systems -- in an attempt to understand whether there are common features to their successes and failures that can be used in improving the performance of other knowledge systems around the world.
Each specific knowledge system was addressed through a pair of successive seminar sessions, organized by a member of the Harvard faculty or senior research staff. For each pair, the first session reviewed relevant scholarship about the system; the second assessed the effectiveness of the system from the perspective of practitioners. The seminar made use of both visitors and participant-led discussions.
Audience: Open to all interested professional and graduate students, fellows, research staff, and faculty
Amenities: Lunch will be served
Sponsors: Center for International Development, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
For more information: This seminar is no longer ongoing; contact nancy_dickson "at" harvard.edu for more information.
Bibliography of Background Documents
(2003-2004)
Spring 2004:
5 February
Knowledge for Development: What Did We Learn Last
Semester?
William Clark, Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public
Policy, and Human Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides
19 February
Strengthening the Role of Research in
Improving Health in Developing Countries - Current Concepts and Institutions
Nicole Szlezak,
Research Fellow, Center for International Development, Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
26 February
Health Systems for Development
Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Health Policy
Forum Fellow, Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University and former Director General of the World Health
Organization
Additional information:
Speaker biography
4 March
Health as a Knowledge-Based and Socially-Driven Process/Product
Dr. Lincoln Chen, Director, Global Equity
Initiative,
Asia Center, Harvard University
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background document
11 March
The Role of
Science in Fisheries Management
Andrew Solow, Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
background documents
18 March
Technological
Change in Fisheries and Aquaculture
Hauke Kite-Powell, Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
25 March
Knowledge for Development: What Have We
Learned? What Next?
Robert Frosch, Senior Research Fellow,
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University
and former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and
Development
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides
25 September
Knowledge Systems for Development: A Survey of Core Questions and Answers
William Clark, Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public
Policy, and Human Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
2 October
Policy and Socioeconomic Impacts of Seasonal Climate Forecast: Can
Science Save Northeast Brazil?
Leader: David Cash, Research
Associate, Center for International
Development, Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University
Guest Speaker: Maria Carmen Lemos, Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources & Environment, University of Michigan
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
9 October
Challenges of Linking Forecasts to the Field: A Practitioner's
Experience Building Regional Climate Outlook Forums in Africa
Leader:
David Cash, Research
Associate, Center for International
Development, Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University
Guest Speaker: Macol Stewart Cerda, President of Silmaril and former
Director of Climate Forecasting and Applications Program for Africa at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents,
related links (4 Climate Outlook Forums)
Tuesday, 14 October (Note change in
day)
Assessing the Impact of the Green Revolution
Leader: Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International
Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and former
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
Guest Speaker: Robert Evenson, Professor of Economics, Yale
University
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
seminar report,
background documents
23 October
Knowledge and Agricultural Development in Africa: Building Local Policy
Research Institutions
Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International
Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and former
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
Additional information:
Presentation description,
speaker biography,
presentation slides,
seminar report,
background document
30 October
Science, Salt Water, Submarines and Symbiosis: Doing R&D with the Navy
Robert Frosch, Senior Research Fellow,
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University
and former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and
Development
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
6 November
Science, Salt Water, Submarines and Symbiosis: Doing R&D with the Navy
Leader: Robert Frosch, Senior Research Fellow,
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University and former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and
Development
Guest Speaker: Richard Pittenger, Vice President for Marine Operations
Directorate, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and former Rear Admiral in the
US Navy
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
13 November
Energy Technology Innovation for Sustainable Development
John Holdren, Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental
Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
20 November
Innovation in the Mexican Oil Industry
Leader: John Holdren, Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental
Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Guest Speaker: Adrian Lajous, Fellow, Center
for Business and Government, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University,
and former Director General, Pemex
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
4 December
R&D Systems for High Tech Commercial Innovations -
Internal and External Knowledge Sources
Lewis Branscomb, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy and
Corporate Management, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and
former Vice President and Chief Scientist of IBM
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
11 December
R&D Systems at IBM: Lessons from Flat-Panel Display Commercialization
Leader: Lewis Branscomb, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy and
Corporate Management, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and
former Vice President and Chief Scientist of IBM
Guest Speaker: James McGroddy, Consultant and former Senior
Vice President of Research, IBM
Additional information:
Speaker biography,
presentation slides,
background documents
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