Extended Abstract: NSF Merit Review Criteria as Points of Entry for Advancing Social Justice

This presentation considers the US National Science Foundation (NSF) merit review criteria for grant applications as a potential exigence for technical communication scholars to advance social justice through collaborations with colleagues in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Specifically, I take a recent joint effort with biotechnologists as a case study to reflect on how technical communicators might position ourselves to address NSF priorities such as advancing responsible innovation; broadening participation of underrepresented groups; and addressing ethical, legal, and social dimensions of emerging technologies. Integrating these priorities with technical communication and science studies scholarship, I propose an iterative method of professional communication that aims to subtly integrate the consideration of social and ethical concerns into scientific practice over time. I conclude by reviewing lessons learned to offer advice for scholars and practitioners interested in undertaking similar interdisciplinary work.