Welcome to Risk Policy, Management and Communication.

This course places science-based risk assessment into broad societal context, which includes consideration of social, economic, legal and political factors that affect public health risk management decisions. In addition, the course provides an overview of risk management tools and the application of risk communication principles. The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of how the risk sciences are applied in the formulation and implementation of public health risk policy in “the real world.” This understanding should 1) allow scientists to provide the type of information that is most likely to be of value in the policy-making process, and 2) allow policy-makers to improve the scientific sophistication of their risk decisions as well as appreciate the implications of risk policies for risk management and risk communication.

The course will achieve its goal of providing an understanding of the policy process by 1) examining theories of policy development and risk management decision-making, and the principles that theoretically underlie health-risk policies, risk management and risk communication; and 2) examining the reality of the policy process via case studies.

Invited speakers share perspectives from the government, academic, and industry sectors. These experiences highlight the challenges associated with integrating scientific, economic, political and legal constraints within the context of public values. Students conduct and present their own case study analysis of a health-risk policy, through which they explore the contributions risk assessment as well as legal, economic, political and other influences on the development and effectiveness of a current policy. The policy’s implications for risk management and risk communication strategies are also assessed.

If you have questions regarding the course, please send us an email. We look forward to having you in the course!

Ronald White, M.S.T.

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