As protests to address structural racism and police brutality continue, it can be difficult to decide what we can do as scientists and engineers. ESAL's Arti Garg shares specific ideas on how to effectively contribute to your community by voting, engaging with elected officials, and listening.
Engineers and scientists hold a privileged position in our communities, but our civic responsibility does not end with our technical pursuits. Our training gives us unique approaches to using evidence and solving problems, and we can use that to make our communities stronger and better able to meet challenges.
St. Louis Food Angels is a volunteer initiative by STEM students and alumni at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) and Fontbonne University during the COVID-19 pandemic. They serve at-risk community members by handling last-mile deliveries of groceries and healthy food box donations for partners.
Aimee Bailey's interest in climate change took her from a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics to the local energy utility sector. She now leads a portfolio of electrification initiatives as the director of decarbonization and grid innovation at Silicon Valley Clean Energy.
Nilesh Kalyanaraman, the health officer for Anne Arundel County in Maryland, has seen his work take on new importance during the COVID pandemic. He spoke with ESAL about how the county’s department obtains and analyzes information, and how STEM professionals can leverage their skills to support local efforts.
The Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) helps K-12 students explore real-world environmental problems using sustainability as a guiding framework. Programs like their Civic Science Program engage students in collecting data, learning its implications, and developing advocacy skills.
Chris Rothfuss holds a PhD in chemical engineering and now serves as the senator for Wyoming State District 9 and as the Wyoming Senate minority leader. Rothfuss spoke with ESAL about how his scientific background informs his work as a senator and how it has shaped the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, researchers are being called to more broadly engage in their local communities. ESAL participated in an online panel hosted by the Society Civic Science Initiative sharing ideas for STEM professionals to respond in novel and creative ways.
U.S. Digital Response (USDR) is an all-volunteer movement established to fill the technology gap for local governments battling the COVID-19 crisis. ESAL interviewed Yung, the CEO of USDR, about their continuing efforts to assist governments across state and municipal jurisdictions.
Jim Treglio is a retired materials scientist who mobilized a Community Emergency Response Team program in San Diego. Treglio shared his experience using his technical background to work with the local fire department and how scientists can contribute to community response efforts.
ESAL and fellow organizations participated in a Twitter chat led by the Science Network of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The virtual conversation addressed the importance of scientific engagement in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
314 Action works to elect those with STEM backgrounds and pro-science agendas to local, state, and federal office. Alums have changed not just the dialogue around STEM issues, but, once elected, have also brought expertise and rigor to solve problems ranging from raising the minimum wage to minimizing veteran homelessness.
