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Andrew Maynard

Andrew Maynard

Andrew Maynard is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University, and Director of the Risk Innovation Lab. His research and professional activities focus on risk innovation, and the responsible development and use of emerging technologies. He is especially interested in novel approaches to understanding and addressing risk; effective approaches to developing socially responsive, responsible and beneficial technologies; understanding and responding to the increasingly complex couplings between converging technologies and society; and effective science communication and engagement – particularly through social media. Through the ASU Risk Innovation Lab, he is exploring novel ways of understanding, thinking about and acting on risk from an entrepreneurial and innovation perspective. He is interested in understanding how risk as a “threat to value” shapes evolving risk landscapes around emerging technologies – especially where the value under threat is social, cultural and personal – and how creativity and serendipity can reveal new approaches to navigating these landscapes.

Andrew is widely published in the academic press and in public media. His peer review papers stretch from physics and toxicology to risk perception, governance, and policy. He also contributes to a regular column in the journal Nature Nanotechnology (where he writes on emerging ideas and research around nanotechnology and risk), and writes for the column “Edge of Innovation” on the news and commentary website The Conversation. In addition, he directs and produces the YouTube science education channel “Risk Bites”.

Andrew’s science training is in physics – specializing in nanoparticle analysis – and for many years he conducted and led research on aerosol exposure in occupational settings. In the early 2000’s he became increasingly involved in guiding US federal initiatives supporting nanotechnology research and development, and in addressing potential risks. In 2005 he became Chief Science Advisor for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (and later the Synthetic Biology Project) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and for five years helped inform national and global initiatives addressing the responsible development of nanotechnology. Over this period, he became increasingly interested in science communication and science policy, and began working closely with academics, policy makers, industry, non-government organizations, and journalists, on science-informed decision making. This interest continued between 2010 - 2015 as Director of the University of Michigan Risk Science Center, and Chair of the Environmental Health Sciences Department. In 2015 he joined the faculty of the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University to continue his work and collaborations on socially responsible, responsible and beneficial research and development.

In the course of his work, Andrew has testified before congressional committees, has served on National Academy panels, and has worked closely with organizations such as the World Economic Forum and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) that promote public-private partnerships. He is currently co-chair of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Nanotechnology, and on the Board of Trustees of ILSI North America. He is also a member of the National Academies of Science Committee on the Science of Science Communication, and advises the science education/engagement program “I’m a Scientist”. While at the University of Michigan he was involved with the innovative science communication training program RELATE, and continues to serve as an advisor to the initiative. In 2015 he was awarded the Society of Toxicology Public Communication Award.

Space Science Series

Dear Elon Musk: Your dazzling Mars plan overlooks some big nontechnical hurdles

Oct 02, 2017 05:32 am UTC| Insights & Views Science

Elon Musk has a plan, and its about as audacious as they come. Not content with living on our pale blue dot, Musk and his company SpaceX want to colonize Mars, fast. They say theyll send a duo of supply ships to the red...

Is lead in the US food supply decreasing our IQ?

Jun 16, 2017 04:49 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

The environmental advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) on June 15 released a study about dietary lead exposure, with a focus on food intended for babies and young children. Using a Federal Drug Administration...

It'll take more than tech for Elon Musk to pull off audacious new Tesla master plan

Jul 26, 2016 06:15 am UTC| Insights & Views

Elon Musk CEO of Tesla Motors has just revealed the second part of his master plan for the company. And its a doozy. Not content with producing sleek electric cars (which to be fair, was only ever a stepping stone to...

Nanoparticles in baby formula: should parents be worried?

May 17, 2016 16:34 pm UTC| Health Science

Theres a lot of stuff youd expect to find in baby formula: proteins, carbs, vitamins, essential minerals. But parents probably wouldnt anticipate finding extremely small, needle-like particles. Yet this is exactly what a...

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Economy

Why China’s economy has hit a wall

Chinas annual parliamentary meetings in Beijing came to a close on March 11. They were conducted under great pressure: a weak economy and high expectations from both the domestic public and international observers as to...

Vladimir Putin’s gold strategy explains why sanctions against Russia have failed

There are more than 16,000 sanctions imposed against Russia. Yet the Russian economy and war machine grew by 3.6 per cent in 2023 and is projected to grow another 2.6 in 2024. Nearly six per cent of Russias gross...

Mentorship is key to improving social and economic outcomes for Black youth

Black youth in Canada experience poorer educational achievement than other children and youth, which leads to subsequent poor economic outcomes. A series of problems and barriers contribute to poor educational outcomes....

There’s an extra $1 billion on the table for NT schools. This could change lives if spent well

The federal and Northern Territory governments have just made a historic funding announcement of about A$1 billion for schools in the territory. This includes an extra $737.7 million from the federal government and an...

Undersea cables for Africa’s internet retrace history and leave digital gaps as they connect continents

Large parts of west and central Africa, as well as some countries in the south of the continent, were left without internet services on 14 March because of failures on four of the fibre optic cables that run below the...

Politics

SpaceX Builds Spy Satellites for US; Russia Warns of Military Response

Russia has issued a stark warning to the United States, stating that the use of SpaceXs satellites for espionage could render them targets for military action. This follows revelations that SpaceX is constructing a spy...

Deepfakes are still new, but 2024 could be the year they have an impact on elections

Disinformation caught many people off guard during the 2016 Brexit referendum and US presidential election. Since then, a mini-industry has developed to analyse and counter it. Yet despite that, we have entered 2024 a...

Political donations rules are finally in the spotlight – here’s what the government should do

Australias political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its plan. Greater...

With nominations decided, Trump leads Biden in US polls

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a majority of all delegates to their parties conventions, including delegates not yet...

Science

How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight

Airplane flight is one of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century. The invention of the airplane allows people to travel from one side of the planet to the other in less than a day, compared...

The mystery of consciousness shows there may be a limit to what science alone can achieve

The progress of science in the last 400 years is mind-blowing. Who would have thought wed be able to trace the history of our universe to its origins 14 billion years ago? Science has increased the length and the quality...

What is minoxidil, the anti-balding hair growth treatment? Here’s what the science says

Hair loss (also known as alopecia) often affects the scalp but can occur anywhere on the body. Its very common and usually nothing to worry about; about half of Australian men show signs of visible baldness at age 50 and...

Our survey of the sky is uncovering the secrets of how planets are born

When we look out to the stars, it is typically not a yearning for the distant depths of outer space that drives us. When we are looking out there, we are truly looking back at ourselves. We try to understand our place in...

Archeoastronomy uses the rare times and places of previous total solar eclipses to help us measure history

Total solar eclipses have fascinated and terrified people for centuries. Today, we know that total solar eclipses like the upcoming eclipse on April 8 are caused by a cosmic coincidence when the moon comes between the...

Technology

Shiba Inu's Burn Rate Soars by 1,200%, BTC Eyes $80K Pre-Halving Rally

The Shiba Inu community witnesses a staggering 1,200% spike in its burn rate, fueling optimism for a bullish rally, while experts predict Bitcoin (BTC) will approach $80,000 ahead of its next halving. Shiba Inus Burn...

Take-Two Interactive Buys Gearbox Entertainment Company From Embracer

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. announced it is acquiring Gearbox Entertainment, which the Embracer Group is slashing from its portfolio. The New York-based video game holding firm said the deal is valued at $460...

Xiaomi Revs Up: SU7 Unveiled, Set to Outpace Tesla, BYD with Sub-500K Yuan Price Tag

As Xiaomi ventures into electric vehicles, it positions itself in Chinas competitive EV sector, focusing on pricing and market disruption. The debut of its first electric vehicle, the SU7, marks a significant move after...

Ferrari, SK On Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation Supercar Batteries

Ferrari NV, an Italian luxury sports car maker, has teamed up with SK On, a South Korean electric vehicle battery manufacturer, to produce next-generation batteries. The partners will work on producing eco-friendly...
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