WSU Spokane Administrator elected Head of State Science Academy

Doug Nadvornick from SPR reports.

A WSU Spokane administrator takes over the leadership of one of the most prestigious scientific groups in the state. John Roll becomes the new President-elect of the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

“It’s a group of over 300 distinguished scientists and engineers and doctors and nurses in Washington State, and I’ll be spending the next year working with our current president and helping with some administrative tasks, and then two years as actual President, followed by a year as past president, “said Roll, the assistant research dean of WSU’s College of Medicine.

The Academy is a group that hosts a wide range of relevant scientific discussions.

“We recently had symposia building a model for global decarbonization, looking at forest fires, cannabis use, cannabis research in Washington state, climate change, Columbia River treaty issues, and the like. Health differences in the state, “he said.

Most of these fall outside of Roll’s own research portfolio, which has focused on addiction and rural health in recent years.

“One of the things I really like about the presidential election is that it helps me to stay up to date in these other areas as much as a non-expert,” he said.

He can do this by reaching out to the real experts in the country on specific subject areas.

Roll will take on his new leadership role at a time when trust in science and scientists is shaky, at least in parts of society.

“Everyone thinks they are right all the time, and the consequence of that means that those who disagree with them are wrong. That really doesn’t agree with how I think science should work, “he said.” We have to be truthful and we always have to be open-minded and ready to listen to arguments and have conversation as we approach the truth. “Maybe. It makes me really sad to see that we have this polarization in our society and I would love it if we could find ways to overcome it. I’ll think about that in my time there.”

John Roll will serve as President-elect of the Washington State Academy of Sciences on September 16.