Reparative Science: Tips for STEM professionals who want to build a better future

How can environmental monitoring technology help repair a fractured democracy? Not by proving that some communities bear disproportionate burdens of pollution, as you might expect. In this talk, Dr. Gwen Ottinger argues that, when it comes to ensuring equal environmental protection and a robust democracy, it’s not proof but process that matters. When communities, scientists, and engineers work together to develop and deploy new tools for knowing the environment, their investigations strengthen the foundations of a just and cohesive society—shared norms, robust accountability, and hope—regardless of whether they produce conclusive results. For STEM professionals in any field, this means that defending the facts is less important than cultivating collective practices of being inquisitive and knowing well.    

Gwen Ottinger is a Professor at Drexel University whose research integrates empirical social science and normative political theory. Ottinger has received recognition for their work from the Society for Social Studies of Science and the Western Political Science Association. Their research grants and fellowships include an NSF CAREER award, an ACLS-Burkhardt Fellowship, and a Fulbright Research Chair at the University of Ottawa. Ottinger’s new book, The Science of Repair: How People who Believe in Facts Can Build a Better Future, will be published in March 2026.