AAAS Program on Scientific Freedom
Responsibility and Law
and the ABA Section of Science
& Technology Law
AAAS Members | ABA Members
The National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists (NCLS) was established in 1974 as a joint standing committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Science and Technology Law. The committee has fourteen members, half appointed by AAAS and half appointed by the ABA.
The goals of the NCLS are:
- To promote a better understanding of science among lawyers and judges and of the legal system among scientists;
- To improve communications between lawyers and judges on the one hand and scientists and engineers on the other;
- To monitor and examine emerging public policy issues of concern to both lawyers/judges and scientists/engineers;
- To examine such issues cooperatively and, where appropriate, to recommend policy alternatives to their respective organizations and others relating to such matters;
- To sponsor joint symposia, programs and studies; and
- To identify and collaborate with groups from other nations interested in exploring similar subjects.
In furtherance of these goals, NCLS serves as an advisory body to the AAAS Program on Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law. AAAS and ABA personnel provide staff support to the committee and AAAS staff also serve on the S&T Section Leadership Group. NCLS is available to advise the AAAS CEO and Board of Directors on science/law issues that come to its attention in order to provide guidance on AAAS policy decisions. Similarly, the S&T Section can call on NCLS for advice on scientific and public policy issues.
Throughout its history, NCLS has been at the leading edge of exploring issues at the interface of science and law. Through workshops, symposia, conferences, and studies, NCLS’ efforts have touched on many of the most controversial and complex issues in a rapidly changing legal and scientific environment. For example, NCLS was among the first to hold multi-disciplinary workshops to discuss scientific misconduct, genetic enhancement, and the ethical, legal, and policy implications of genetic testing. Beginning in 2006, NCLS has sponsored a series of judicial education seminars on “Emerging Issues in Neuroscience.” In 2009, the series received a Judicial Education Award from the ABA Judicial Division's National Conference of Specialized Court Judges. NCLS also participated in drafting amicus briefs for Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals and Daniel J. Bernstein v. U.S. Department of Commerce.
Links to NCLS sponsored activities available
on the Internet:
Sponsoring Organizations' Homepages:
For more information, contact:
Mark S. Frankel
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law Program
1200 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 326-6600; Fax (202) 289-4950
E-mail: mfrankel@aaas.org
AAAS MEMBERS:
Finley Austin
Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc.
Monte S. Buchsbaum
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Dietram A. Scheufele
University of Wisconsin
Staff Officer:
Mark S. Frankel
AAAS
Associate Staff Officer:
Deborah Runkle
AAAS
ABA MEMBERS:
Jorge Contreras , Co-Chair
Washington University in St. Louis, School of Law
William Sam Byassee
North Carolina Office of Technology Information Services
William J. Luddy, Jr.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
(Ret.)
Raymond L. Ocampo Jr.
Samurai Surfer LLC
Lucy L. Thomson
Consultant
Jody R. Westby
Global Cyber Risk LLC
Staff Liaison:
Shawn Taylor Kaminski
American Bar Association
Updated 27 Jan 2010
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