471 Science Regulation Lab

SciReg Lab teaches students about the use of emerging science and technology in the regulatory agencies through the drafting and submission of comments to federal rule-makings. The comments will be unaligned with any party and are intended to provide the regulatory agencies with unbiased, current, accurate and coherent information about the science underlying the proposed rule. The course is cross-listed in the Law School and Graduate School and the students will be drawn from the sciences, ethics, policy and law to work in interdisciplinary teams. The course will begin with a brief overview of notice-and-comment rulemaking, and how to translate scientific information into the language of courts and agencies. The ethical issues presented by this process will be an important component of the course content. With the assistance of faculty, the students will track pending rulemakings and select proceedings in which to file a comment. A background is science is recommended, but not required.

Course Areas of Practice
Degree Requirements
Course Type
  • Simulation
Learning Outcomes
  • Other professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession

Spring 2021

2021
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

471.01 2 Michael B. Waitzkin

SciReg Lab teaches students about the use of emerging science and technology in the regulatory agencies through the drafting and submission of comments to federal rule-makings. The comments will be unaligned with any party and are intended to provide the regulatory agencies with unbiased, current, accurate and coherent information about the science underlying the proposed rule. The course is cross-listed in the Law School and Graduate School and the students will be drawn from the sciences, ethics, policy and law to work in interdisciplinary teams. The course will begin with a brief overview of notice-and-comment rulemaking, and how to translate scientific information into the language of courts and agencies. The ethical issues presented by this process will be an important component of the course content. With the assistance of faculty, the students will track pending rulemakings and select proceedings in which to file a comment. A background is science is recommended, but not required.

Pre/Co-requisites
None

Spring 2020

2020
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

471.01 2 Michael B. Waitzkin, Pate Skene

SciReg Lab teaches students about the use of emerging science and technology in the regulatory agencies through the drafting and submission of comments to federal rule-makings. The comments will be unaligned with any party and are intended to provide the regulatory agencies with unbiased, current, accurate and coherent information about the science underlying the proposed rule. The course is cross-listed in the Law School and Graduate School and the students will be drawn from the sciences, ethics, policy and law to work in interdisciplinary teams. The course will begin with a brief overview of notice-and-comment rulemaking, and how to translate scientific information into the language of courts and agencies. The ethical issues presented by this process will be an important component of the course content. With the assistance of faculty, the students will track pending rulemakings and select proceedings in which to file a comment. A background is science is recommended, but not required.

Pre/Co-requisites
None

Spring 2019

2019
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

471.01 2 Michael B. Waitzkin

SciReg Lab teaches students about the use of emerging science and technology in the regulatory agencies and courts through the drafting and submission of comments to federal rule-makings and amicus briefs. The briefs and comments will be unaligned with any party and are intended to provide the regulatory agencies and courts with unbiased, current, accurate and coherent information about the science underlying the proposed rule or pending case. The course is cross-listed in the Law School and Graduate School and the students will be drawn from the sciences, ethics, policy and law to work in interdisciplinary teams. The course will begin with a brief overview of notice-and-comment rulemaking, appellate court practice and the role of amicus briefs, and how to translate scientific information into the language of courts and agencies. The ethical issues presented by this process will be an important component of the course content. With the assistance of faculty, the students will track pending rulemakings and court cases and select a proceeding or case in which to file a comment or brief. A background in science is recommended, but not required.

Pre/Co-requisites
None

Spring 2018

2018
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

471.01 2 Michael B. Waitzkin

SciReg Lab teaches students about the use of emerging science and technology in the regulatory agencies and courts through the drafting and submission of comments to federal rule-makings and amicus briefs. The briefs and comments will be unaligned with any party and are intended to provide the regulatory agencies and courts with unbiased, current, accurate and coherent information about the science underlying the proposed rule or pending case. The course is cross-listed in the Law School and Graduate School and the students will be drawn from the sciences, ethics, policy and law to work in interdisciplinary teams. The course will begin with a brief overview of notice-and-comment rulemaking, appellate court practice and the role of amicus briefs, and how to translate scientific information into the language of courts and agencies. The ethical issues presented by this process will be an important component of the course content. With the assistance of faculty, the students will track pending rulemakings and court cases and select a proceeding or case in which to file a comment or brief. A background in science is recommended, but not required.

Pre/Co-requisites
None

Spring 2017

2017
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

471.01 2 Nita A. Farahany, Michael B. Waitzkin

The purpose of the Amicus Lab is to teach students about the use of emerging science and technology in the courts and regulatory agencies through the drafting and submission of amicus briefs and comments to rule-makings. The amicus briefs will be submitted to the federal courts of appeals and the US Supreme Court, as well as state appellate courts, as appropriate; the comments will be submitted in federal notice-and-comment rulemakings. The briefs will be unaligned with any party and both the briefs and comments are intended to provide the courts and regulatory agencies with unbiased, current, accurate and coherent information on the science underlying the pending decision or proposed rule. The course is cross-listed in the Graduate School. PhD students in the sciences and MA students in bioethics or other relevant disciplines will be encouraged to enroll. The course will begin with a brief overview of appellate court practice and the role of amicus briefs in the process; notice-and-comment rulemaking; how to translate scientific information into the language of the courts and agencies; and the standards for consideration of expert scientific information in the court process. The ethical issues presented in each phase of this process will be an important component of the class content. The students will then, in conjunction with Science & Society’s Science Policy Tracking Program (“SciPol”), prepare a series of briefs on recently proposed rules and court decisions, which will analyze the purpose of the rule or the decision of the court, and the science underlying the rule or decision. The students will be divided into interdisciplinary teams and, with the assistance of the faculty, will select a pending rulemaking or appellate court case and draft a comment or amicus brief to be submitted in the proceeding. A science background is recommended, but not required.

 

Pre/Co-requisites
None

*Please note that this information is for planning purposes only, and should not be relied upon for the schedule for a given semester. Faculty leaves and sabbaticals, as well as other curriculum considerations, will sometimes affect when a course may be offered.