Enhancing Emergency Preparedness and Response to Provide Equitable Care in Times of Disaster

Abigail Freshley is a senior policy manager at Public Health Advocates (PHA), where she is involved in various projects primarily focused on emergency response policy. Freshley obtained her master’s in public administration and policy development from Georgia State University before taking her skills to the political realm. Freshley reflects on her experience navigating the aftermath of COVID-19 through the Emergency Resilience Project and how PHA has used those lessons to enact new policies that promote equitable care for all. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

ES: Could you tell us more about yourself and what led you to join Public Health Advocates (PHA)?

Freshley: I began my career in progressive politics in Atlanta before relocating to Southern California. This move came at a time when conversations around efficiently spending the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were blossoming, which aligned well with my previous work experience. I joined PHA to help push California cities and towns to spend ARPA dollars in ways that would impact populations most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working on the ARPA was my first experience combining public health and emergency preparedness and response. I particularly enjoyed learning from setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic and applying those lessons to various types of natural and human-made disasters.

ES: What has your role been in the emergency resilience project?

Freshley: At the start of this project, I had the opportunity to interview key informants— local elected officials, public health officers, and leaders of community-based organizations— across the state who were involved in the response to COVID-19. These conversations delved deeper into the disparities that emerged during the pandemic and explored ways to mitigate future pitfalls. For instance, in Sacramento, California, from 2019 to 2021, there was a 65% increase in homelessness, and Black people were three times as likely to be unhoused. While COVID-19 certainly exacerbated these issues, we were curious how we could adjust our response to lessen the damage. We curated prevalent themes from these conversations and developed them into policy recommendations aimed at preventing such disparities in the future. The recent fires in Los Angeles adapted the COVID-19 efforts into the emergency resilience project, which also includes other disasters.

ES: What have been your biggest challenges while working on the emergency resilience project?

Abigail Freshley
Abigail Freshley.

Freshley: A primary obstacle we face is a misunderstanding between diversity, equity, and inclusion and racial justice. For instance, what does it mean to take equity-focused, justice-based approaches over having a more diverse group of people making the decisions? Historically disadvantaged groups who live in red line neighborhoods, do not have generational wealth, or work hourly jobs resulting in a lack of childcare causes an issue during an emergency. Communicating why BIPOC-led organizations are not typically as well positioned as predominantly white-led and white-serving organizations raises the importance of investing in their organizations.  

ES: Could you elaborate on PHA’s policy recommendations for reducing disparities?

Freshley: One of the most important actions is the investment in culturally responsive community organizations. During COVID-19, we saw the government send the National Guard or police to distribute resources in communities that have a valid historical distrust of police and government, on top of cultural barriers. We strategized that resourcing BIPOC-led and underserved community-based organizations would facilitate their making a difference. Obtaining federal funding often requires overcoming hurdles, such as the ability to cover the entire grant budget upfront. These obstacles are unrealistic for organizations that lack large amounts of capital. We secured $7.2 million from the County of Sacramento to enhance the capacity of BIPOC and underserved community-led organizations. 

ES: Are you involved in any other projects at PHA?

Freshley: I work on two additional projects: First Response Transformation Campaign (FRTC) and Defend California. FRTC aims to develop and improve alternative first response initiatives across California. For example, not all 911 calls require police presence. As such, we want to provide adequate resources, whether they be mental health services or individuals equipped with service resources for the unhoused community. We have been working with a few different pilot groups across California to help either establish or improve their first response alternatives. 

Defend California is a relatively new initiative focused on protecting the core functions of public health in California. This project comes in the wake of the substantial cuts from the Trump administration and an anticipated restriction of resources for public health funding. Additionally, in the era of Make America Healthy Again, we are working to protect access to vaccines, preventative healthcare, clean water, infectious disease control, and safe and healthy food.

ES: What do you see in store for PHA in the future?

Freshley: At the top of our mind is protecting the functions of core public health in California and getting ahead of the wave that is coming by building power with impacted communities across the state. This has emerged as a foundational component of our campaign strategy. For instance, the current budget cuts to preventative care and social services will eventually trickle down from the federal level and into our local budgets. Being mindful of and preparing for this eventual impact will be crucial for protecting the functions of core public health.

ES: Finally, do you have any advice for how people can engage with their local communities to address similar challenges?

Freshley: The first and most important action is to simply go to a meeting. Many people have never attended a city council meeting before, but you can observe and listen without having to contribute. This can be a very informative experience to see what issues your community is addressing and learn who the policy-makers are. 

My second piece of advice is to find like-minded people who can be on your team. It is substantially easier to approach community engagement when you are not alone. Having a friend or team you can rely on will make the barrier of entry much more manageable. Additionally, decision-makers are more open and receptive to these organic movements where community members present their individual needs as opposed to hearing from individuals paid to present issues. 

Datacenter impacts on Municipal Energy, Water, and Air Systems

On Wednesday June 11, the National League of Cities (NLC) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center) co-hosted a webinar entitled “Datacenter Impacts on Municipal Energy, Water, and Air Systems” as part of their ongoing series on the social, political, and environmental impact of data centers. ESAL founder Arti Garg moderated a discussion with Shaolei Ren, associate professor at the University of California, Riverside which explored the impacts data centers have on energy and water usage, pollution, and human health in the current landscape of increasing demand for compute power from AI. 

Datacenters are essential computational infrastructure 

In her introduction, Garg explained that data centers are facilities for housing the equipment necessary to generate large amounts of computing power (compute). In practical terms, these are buildings that house racks of servers and networking equipment used to power the essential functions of computer programs, as well as the power and cooling infrastructure. Traditionally, compute demand was largely created by online services such as email and e-commerce. With the surging demand for AI products, data centers are tasked with handling much larger volumes of compute, resulting in ever-increasing demand for data center infrastructure. During the event, Ren gave a presentation titled “The Hidden Environmental and Public Health Impacts of AI”, which reviewed areas that states and municipalities should consider when deciding to allow the construction or continued operation of data centers. 

Data center energy demand could inflate energy costs

Ren cited an estimate from the 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report produced by Berkeley Lab that predicts data centers could comprise 6.7% to 12% of the national electricity demand by 2028. With that increase in demand comes a high demand to build new energy infrastructure, along with a steep price tag for construction and an increase in carbon emissions. Datacenters draw energy from the local grid and, when needed, use diesel backup generators. When additional capacity is needed, this can increase demand for fossil fuel energy sources and may also inflate the power bills of individual consumers. 

Water consumption is a major impact of data center operations

In addition to their impact on power consumption, data centers consume water at high rates. The equipment used to produce computing power generates heat which needs to be dissipated to ensure continued functioning. Water evaporation is a common cooling method, that consumes water that does not return to the municipal sewer (consumptive use through evaporation) and creates waste water that is high in mineral and salt content that cannot be reused for other purposes as easily. By contrast, residential water use may draw comparable gallons of water but has a higher proportion of nonconsumptive use. Technology companies such as Apple, Meta, and Microsoft produce water strategy and sustainability reports that address the sustainability implications of their current water use. However, AI demand may increase water consumption by 2-4 times over 2023 levels by 2028, according to projections generated by the Berkeley Lab. 

Air pollution and public health are also affected 

Data centers contribute to air pollution through use of diesel backup generators and electricity consumption. Diesel consumption, in particular, emits nitrogen oxides, which can form PM2.5s (particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 microns or less) that are associated with risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and lung cancer. Air pollution does not stay confined to state lines, making the issue difficult to regulate on a local level. Ren published a paper using a modeling tool from the EPA to calculate the health cost of increased energy consumption by AI, predicting a potential public health cost increase of billions of dollars with high data center energy use.  

Making a local impact 

From the perspective of technology companies, there are important benefits of building data centers close to dense population centers, including reduced networking latency and data transfer costs. Due to the factors discussed above, there are also risks associated with locating data centers near communities, which will need to be balanced. Ren highlighted a story from Uruguay, where community pushback over the water use of a local datacenter caused the company to implement a more efficient, albeit more expensive, cooling system. In many cases in the United States, a major challenge to local engagement around data centers comes from a lack of transparency about how much energy and water these facilities are consuming. The National League of Cities (NLC) highlighted the important role of public utility commissions in the process of data centers site selection, as they can help provide information on how data centers may affect energy use and costs in their areas of service. (You can check out ESAL’s playbook on joining an advisory board or commission here.) NLC also has an AI governance dashboard to help cities and municipalities learn from each other’s policies and track how the policies come into effect. When asked how communities can ensure they are balancing the risks and rewards of having data centers in their areas, Ren urged people to ask about water use and pollution outcomes, stating that dialogue will be important to learn more about the potential impacts. 

Leveraging the scientific method for effective policy-making

Dr. Darshana Patel is a member of the California State Assembly and previously served as an elected member of the Poway Unified Board of Education. Prior to her career in public service, Dr. Patel earned a Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of California, Irvine and worked as a professional biotechnology researcher. ESAL interviewed Dr. Patel about her experience transitioning from a career in scientific research to local government.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

SvD: What led you to a career in public service?

Patel: My experiences have taught me that you can try to create a path for yourself, but sometimes life takes you in different directions.

At 14 years old, I lost my mom to an undiagnosed medical condition, compelling me to look for cures to diseases. By this young age I knew I wanted to work in drug discovery to help people and contribute to society. Along the way, I also took any chance I got to join school organizations to make systemic change. In graduate school, for example, I joined the graduate student council. This is where I learned about the challenges in labor and the workforce, and what it means to have solidarity in a movement. Then, in my first biotech job at Genentech, I served as president of the South Asian Network. In that role, I witnessed the barriers to career progression that many people in that system face. I advocated for many initiatives to help break down these barriers, such as establishing more nursing rooms to allow women to return to the workforce. So, while my core interest was bringing drugs to market, I was also learning how systems worked and how to improve them. When my father passed away in 2009 while waiting for a prior authorization from Medicare, I decided that there is a bigger system that I can try to fix.

SvD: How are you leveraging your previous experience as a research scientist in your elected position?

Assemblymember Darshana Patel at a press conference March 2025.

Patel:  I am brand new to the State Assembly, but learning a lot as I go along.  There is a huge gap in communication between scientists and policymakers. We have completely different cultures, ways of thinking, and even different time ranges: a scientist thinks in generations, a policymaker thinks in sessions. I've noticed that, in the spaces I'm in, people treat elected officials at this level with a lot of deference. People say “oh, she's a biophysicist, she's the smartest one in the room”. This gives me an opportunity to lead the discussion, ask the questions, and show the data that supports that opinion, which helps bring rigor to the process. I think we need that – our constituents are asking us to be more rigorous with our decisions.

I have a goal to seek common ground with all of my colleagues. Everyone wants a good quality education, good health care, safe water to drink, and clean air to breathe. Each of these are areas where a scientific process, scientific understanding, and respect for science will help. How do we deliver public education to the most people at the least cost? We need experts to come in and weigh in on what that looks like. We need to develop this universal scientific mindset to approaching problems. Everyone doesn't need to be a scientist, but I think the mindset will help us deliver on the promises that we've made to our people.

So, we need to bring more rational thought into our policymaking, but how do we do that? How do we talk in scientific terms without sounding elitist? We must approach policy making like a study: you predict an end point, a hypothesis, but when things do not go the way you expect them to, you reevaluate and change the variables to see the outcome that you want to see. Ultimately, we should never be attached to a specific policy, we should be driven by the desired outcome, and if we're not getting the desired outcome, then we need to change what we are doing. And I would love to see a policy mindset where we are doing that: not just creating new laws, but revisiting old laws. Are they outdated? Do they still apply in today's context? Does it make sense? Does it conflict with other existing laws or values that we have now in today's world? We need to constantly revisit, and that is okay if we bring a scientific process to it.

SvD: What specific issues do you hope to tackle in your position in the State Assembly?

Patel: We are currently working toward a bill to close a loophole around school gun violence threats, an issue whose importance has been expressed by our community. We had an elementary school where a man sent several emails threatening to open fire there. The police got word of it, did their investigations, filed for a temporary gun violence restraining order, and seized his weapons. They did all the right things. The DA then came in, built a case, and were ready to prosecute, however, it turns out that this did not meet the standard for prosecuting under the existing law. The man had made credible threats against a specific school, but did not name an individual at the school, which did not meet the threshold of specificity to prosecute under the existing legal code. So, we are proposing that if they name that place, that is specific enough.

This is just one example of the ways we are directing our efforts based on the needs of our constituents. Several other items include reforming the way special education is funded in the state of California, youth mental health, access to healthcare and housing, the cost of utilities, and more. These concerns are brought to us through calls, emails, submissions on our website, meetings at our public office, and events we attend or host ourselves. I would also love to work with community leaders – I am looking to form community advisory committees in the certain areas of my policy interest.

SvD: What advice do you have for people in STEM who want to engage with their local government?

Patel: There are a lot of opportunities to engage, but they are not obvious to people in this [STEM] world.

You need to look for them, reach out to people like me, and keep in mind that these opportunities are there. We also need to work to change the culture of academia, which often views working in the policy space as being a sellout. We need to walk away from this sellout kind of mindset and start encouraging people to take this training and go out into other spaces. When we learn these skills, we can make legislators better understand and appreciate the value of scientific research and develop better societies in the long term.

Beyond the Beltway: Navigating the State and Local Government Job Hunt

On June 10th, ESAL hosted a virtual event titled “Beyond the Beltway: Navigating the state/local government job hunt.” The event featured four expert career advisors who shared guidance on finding jobs within the world of public service. Panelists included:

Federal workers are everywhere

Katy Hogan started off the event by emphasizing that meaningful federal careers exist far beyond Washington, D.C.—nearly 80% of federal employees work outside the capital. She noted that states like California, Georgia, and Michigan alone have tens of thousands of federal workers, dispelling the myth that public service jobs require relocation to D.C.

On looking beyond the federal government

Dylan Russell also emphasized the importance of looking beyond the D.C. area for public service opportunities and highlighted that job seekers can make a real, meaningful impact within rural and local governments while also bringing new energy and enthusiasm to these public institutions. 

Allison Binkley agreed, and encouraged attendees to focus on how their skills translate into state and local roles, even if job titles seem unfamiliar.  Binkley reminded attendees that persistence is key when navigating the government hiring process, which can be slow-moving.

Maggie Orion highlighted the range of public service opportunities in California’s state government. She emphasized the core reasons many pursue state jobs, which include strong benefits, job security, and the ability to do mission-driven work. 

Resources and tips for job hunters

Hogan also discussed resources developed by the Partnership, such as the free “Career Pivot Boot Camp,” an online and asynchronous course that offers career coaching for former or transitioning federal employees. 

Orion encouraged attendees to explore openings across California’s 150+ agencies and recommended using CalCareers to search for roles and WorkforCalifornia for application guidance. To navigate the state’s unique job classifications and jargon, she suggested exploring job clusters by industry and using filters by classification to identify relevant opportunities.

The second half of the event featured a Question & Answer session, which went over additional actionable tips for job seekers. Networking was emphasized as a helpful tool, not only for discovering job opportunities but for gaining deeper insights into workplaces. However, one notable point was that, unlike the private sector, the public sector involves more of a merit-based selection process, meaning that one’s network, while still valuable, is not as important as their qualifications. The panel also covered salary bands, mentioning that public sector salaries are publicly available and encouraging job seekers to do their research going into negotiations. Another key tip was related to the importance of keywords in job postings and how job seekers can set email alerts to actively notify themselves of new postings that match their interests more closely. 

Overall, the event highlighted several important insights for scientists and engineers interested in state and local government careers. One recurring theme across all the speakers was the value of public service as a meaningful, purpose-driven path.

Check out the ESAL Playbook "build your career in state or local government" for more resources and tips.

View the event recording on ESAL's YouTube channel:

The Impact of Federal Spending on the States

The Council of State Governments, a nonpartisan organization that serves state elected and appointed officials to promote excellence in state government, hosted a webinar on April 29th, 2025, entitled “The Impact of Federal Spending on the States” to broaden understanding of how federal spending is impacting state economies. The United States is currently facing economic uncertainty at both the federal and state levels, and prioritizing expenditures has been a challenge for fiscal policymakers. 

Experts in fiscal policy broke down fiscal uncertainty in the United States, the impact of federal funding on state budgets, new state-federal fiscal dynamics, and potential strategies to approach changes in federal funding to states. Panelists included: 

How federal spending impacts states’ economies

Justin Theal, an expert on fiscal risks, spoke on the impact of federal spending on the states’ economy and where states currently stand with federal funding: 

Budget reserves can help in the short-term

Heading into the fiscal year, state budgets face heightened spending pressure to fund the rising costs of Medicaid, employee wages, and other expenses, while tax collection is weakening. Most states currently hold record-high reserves to combat this budget gap; however, it is unlikely that these changes will be sustainable long term. 

Federal funding to states takes multiple forms

The vast majority of federal funds are used to support state economies. Direct payments to individuals and businesses support retirement, benefits, and wages for federal employees. Federal grants to state and local governments support Medicaid, income security, transportation, education, other health programs, and more. 

These federal funds, in turn, generate revenue for the state. In 2022, an average of 36.4% of state revenue came from federal funding sources. The impact of changes in federal dollars and policy on state economies will vary across states, but this is a discussion happening across legislative sessions and fiscal debates throughout the year. 

Federal uncertainty

Marcia Howard, an expert on federal-to-state funding flows, then detailed three specific federal programs that are facing uncertainty: 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

The IIJA is an investment in American infrastructure to repair and modernize existing infrastructure while investing in new transportation, clean energy, and water infrastructure. It was signed into law in November 2021 by President Joe Biden and authorized $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending, including $550 billion on top of what Congress planned to authorize.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022

The IRA proposes a large down payment on federal deficit reduction with the goals of combating inflation and promoting American energy independence by investing in domestic clean energy production. It additionally would allow Medicare to negotiate for the lowering of prescription drug prices and extend the Affordable Care Act to 2025. The bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022 and authorized over $400 billion in new spending with projected revenue of over $700 billion. 

The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPs) Act

The CHIPs Act allocated funding to support research and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States. It aimed to promote domestic competitiveness in semiconductor production to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. President Joe Biden signed the act into law in August 2022, authorizing nearly $300 billion in new spending toward research and development, STEM education, and incentive programs.

Each of these acts has been signed into law; however, grants supporting them are paused or tied up in litigation. It is expected that Congress will draft reconciliation proposals, an expedited way to pass budget-related policies, to reduce federal spending on programs like these to offset funds lost to tax cuts. The FY2026 federal budget will likely propose major grant eliminations as well. The FY2025 federal budget, in addition, remains contested. It is unknown how states will respond to these changes.

Actionable insights for states

Use data to guide decisions

The panelists emphasized the importance of using a data-driven approach to generate long-term solutions for structural deficits in state economies. Cautious budgeting, scenario planning, multi-year forecasting, and midyear adjustments will be key. 

Stay aware and be flexible

State representatives must also stay alert to impoundment tactics and legal risks, prepare to respond if funding is halted or rerouted, and query how to adapt programs if funding is cut. Upcoming reports by The Council of State Governments will detail how to maximize the impact of state tax dollars by finding new efficiencies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse of funds. 

Working with professional societies to affect change

I am a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My background is in biological systems engineering, and I am in an interdisciplinary program studying watershed science and farmer decision-making.  I am also the student representative on the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) Science and Policy committee. SWCS is an international professional organization that aims to advance the science and art of soil and water conservation. Members of this nonprofit include academics, farmers, government employees, and others from the private sector. This is a very broad group of professionals working to better the environment. The society publishes an academic journal and works to engage the public and membership on education and the advancement of science. The Science and Policy committee that I am on works to find ways in which SWCS can support or advise on policy that reflects the needs and priorities of the membership.

What is important to you about engaging with your local government?

I’ve always been interested in the ways that engineers and scientists can get involved in advocacy, policy, or community building. Engineers and scientists have so much capacity to make the world around us better, and I think the application of science and engineering to help real people solve real-world issues is key. Advocacy and policy work is one way to go about this. So, when I had the opportunity to get involved with the Soil and Water Conservation Society, I jumped at it. 

Soil and Water Conservation Society Logo
Soil and Water Conservation Society Logo

What did you do?

One of the things that I have helped to work on is a survey that was sent out to the membership to determine what sorts of federal programs and grants are important to the members, as well as learning about which types of programming and activities that the Society provides are most important to the members. When SWCS interfaces with lawmakers, having up-to-date information on the priorities and needs of the members is crucial.

What did you get out of this experience?

Providing guidance on the questions included in the survey, as well as having a hand in analyzing the results, was enlightening. It was interesting to see what initiatives and priorities had broad support across the different groups of people that make up the membership. It helped me to realize that policy work can be really crucial for STEM employees across the public and private sectors, especially for a field that is extremely applied, such as soil and water conservation work. Good, helpful, science-based policy does not just happen on its own. It takes effort and work, and it has been great to see what some of that work looks like and to participate in a small way.

I’d encourage other graduate students to get involved in their professional societies, especially if you can find a way to be involved in the behind-the-scenes aspects of these groups, where you get to act in a service role. In my view, the purpose of pursuing STEM education and careers is to work to better your community, and spending time and energy to volunteer with a professional society is one way to do that.

This experience, and the continued experience of participating in committee meetings going forward, has gotten me more interested in policy at the state and local levels. I have begun to look for ways I can get more involved at those levels more directly, and at the very least be more aware. I’d love to one day work in the public or nonprofit sectors when I graduate, and of course, policy awareness and involvement is crucial in those spaces. This experience has helped me start to think about how policy at different levels affects my research topics and in what ways I may be able to incorporate policy questions into my current and future research and work.

STEM, Local Policy, and Antiracism: Strategies for Lasting Change

I’ve heard many engineers and scientists say they want to “do something” about the inequities they see around them. Their first impulse is often to jump in with technical solutions, put together some data, write a paper, or create a detailed plan for improving schools or infrastructure. After all, we’re used to problem-solving with knowledge, logic, and structured analysis. But real life rarely fits neatly into an Excel sheet or a design schematic, and that’s especially true when we’re talking about racial inequities that run deep in our institutions and daily interactions.

I’m reminded of the time I sat in on a planning commission meeting in which a well-intentioned design proposal didn’t consider local cultural spaces valued by residents. In purely engineering terms, the plan was brilliant; it would have improved traffic flow and optimized land use. But community advocates stood up and explained that an open-air marketplace, cherished for generations, was slated for demolition under the new design. The plan’s proponents had access to mountains of data about traffic, walkability, and population density, but they overlooked the emotional and cultural significance of that marketplace. As soon as they heard the stories from neighborhood elders and families who relied on the market for their livelihood, these engineers realized the plan needed rethinking. It wasn’t enough to be “technically correct.” They had to pivot, collaborate with those most affected, and integrate feedback into a revised proposal that retained the market as a vibrant part of local life.  The engineers realized that their knowledge didn’t automatically translate into effective action. 

The good news is that our science and engineering backgrounds can help us navigate this discomfort. We’re trained to iterate, test hypotheses, and remain open to new evidence. That same analytical mindset can be reoriented toward the social and political realities that shape our neighborhoods. But the key is acknowledging that data alone won’t solve structural racism. We have to pair our expertise with empathy, which only comes from a willingness to be vulnerable, to ask honest questions, and to learn from people who have lived a different reality.

That might mean attending a city council meeting and realizing that there’s a deep cultural context behind an infrastructure project or volunteering at a local science fair and discovering that certain neighborhoods are consistently left out of STEM opportunities. As straightforward as it sounds to listen first, in practice, it can feel uncomfortable. We’re used to offering “answers,” and we might not like to admit that our vision of a solution doesn’t always match what communities actually need.

This is strongly supported by my new study, “Can Antiracism Training Achieve Lasting Change? Strategies for Sustainable Behavioral and Organizational Transformation”. Too often, we assume that explaining bias or describing historical injustices will prompt people to behave differently. Instead, this research demonstrates the importance of social-emotional learning, leadership buy-in, and continuous reinforcement. In other words, if we don’t engage our empathy, establish clear accountability structures, and follow up over time, any big breakthroughs we have in a training session will likely fizzle out once we get back to our busy schedules. If we don’t do the same in our work as scientists and engineers, we can’t bring antiracist practices into science policy.

I’ve seen this play out with colleagues who get involved in local policy. They’ll join an advisory commission or volunteer on a project to bring clean water technology to an underserved part of town. Initially, they might be brimming with technical expertise. But soon, they realize that the community’s concerns aren’t limited to water purification specs. People might be worried about costs, or they might suspect that outside experts aren’t truly listening to them. Sometimes, residents recall past projects that promised big improvements but never delivered. In these moments, the best thing we can do is slow down, set aside our preconceived notions, and say, “Help me understand what you’ve experienced. What does success look like from your perspective?” That level of openness can be surprisingly hard for STEM folks, yet it’s the starting point for building genuine trust.

My study gives a research-backed framework for why these steps matter. Without structural reinforcement, even the most enthusiastic leaders can fall back into old patterns of bias and exclusion. And without an emotional component, such as storytelling sessions or empathy-building exercises, the idea of “equity” may remain purely intellectual rather than something that genuinely influences day-to-day decisions.

So, if you’ve been wondering how you can bring your STEM background to bear on the issues of racial injustice and structural inequality, I would encourage you to start by looking at your own community. Ask which local policies most affect your neighbors and whether those policies reflect everyone’s needs. When you attend a meeting or join a committee, think about whose voices aren’t in the room. Consider these insights on social-emotional engagement and ongoing reinforcement: how can you implement them in your own workplaces, volunteering activities, or advocacy efforts? And most importantly, don’t be afraid of trial and error.

As engineers and scientists, we already know that breakthroughs often come from experimentation and iteration. By pairing technical expertise with empathetic listening, sustained follow-up, and active antiracism, we can truly make a difference in the places we call home. If we apply that same mindset to building inclusive communities, our local actions can become powerful catalysts for broader systemic change. We just have to remain curious, compassionate, and unafraid to challenge the status quo, both in our technical analyses and in our human interactions.

Editor’s Note

ESAL mobilizes STEM professionals for civic engagement while also realizing that expertise is most powerful when it’s placed in direct conversation with historically marginalized voices, and ESAL has made these practices a core part of our mission. Over the last few years, ESAL’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) programming has reinforced this principle through workshops, community partnerships, and our own internal accountability measures. 

We encourage members to bring feedback from their local engagements, both challenges and triumphs, so that we’re continually learning from real-world experiences and regularly revisit our recruitment and leadership structures to see if certain groups are being unintentionally excluded. Click here to learn more about ESAL’s JEDI initiative. 

National League of Cities Releases 2024 State of the Cities Report

Introduction

The National League of Cities, a non-profit organization which aims to be a voice for local policy leaders, has released the 2024 edition of the State of the Cities report. This annual report draws on mayoral addresses, surveys from city mayors, and insights from locals to define the top priorities of local leaders to improve the well-being of their constituents. 

State of the Cities mayoral addresses were collected from official government websites and analyzed by selecting words related to actionable priority categories and quantifying these as a ratio of the entire speech. Mayors across the United States were asked to be surveyed for this study, and respondents were representative of cities of all population sizes and regions. There was, however, less representation of cities with a population of 300,000+ or in the Northeast region. Public engagement by locals was measured by the posting and sharing of tweets related to actionable priority categories. 

Main Content: 

The 2024 State of the Cities report has found that mayoral and resident priorities for municipal policies are closely aligned. Mayoral speeches have highlighted economic development, infrastructure, housing, and public safety as key issues, whereas social media posts from residents to their local leaders have focused on infrastructure, energy, and education. Together, these data reveal that economic development, infrastructure, and housing are the top shared priorities between local leaders and their community. 

Mayors believe that building a competitive and stable local economy is critical for the success of their cities. While the majority of mayors rate their city’s economic situation as acceptable to excellent, they are concerned about attracting businesses, a lack of federal investment, and poverty among their residents. They aim to overcome these challenges by finding avenues to attract businesses, developing their workforce, and investing in technology and innovation.

Age and extreme weather pose great threats for the integrity of local infrastructure. Systems such as roads, rails, water, and electric grids are degrading after decades of use, and the increasing incidence of natural disasters due to climate change exacerbates these effects. Mayors have identified increasing funding, increasing external support, and implementing new technologies as primary strategies to improve infrastructure.

In contrast to economic development and infrastructure, housing is a new top priority for mayors. Most mayors rate the state of housing in their cities as less than satisfactory, attributing high costs and low supply as major barriers to providing adequate housing to their residents. They aim to target costs and supply directly to address this crisis. 

Although not a shared top priority with residents, mayors have expressed concern for the health and safety of their communities. They aim to tackle issues like substance abuse, mental health, violence, and police mistrust by developing a public workforce that is more diverse and community-oriented. 

Conclusion: 

The 2024 State of the Cities report demonstrates the dedication of local leaders to identify and address the most pressing issues for the residents of their communities. This sentiment also applies to local science policy initiatives. Ensuring these initiatives are informed, equitable, and community-centered will allow for the best service to our communities.  For more information, find the complete report at https://www.nlc.org/resource/state-of-the-cities-2024/.

Bringing AI Guidance to Local Governments

Trevor Odelberg recently completed his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan, where he also received a certificate in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. As a Research Assistant at the Ford School, Odelberg leveraged his technical background to collaborate on projects with local governments and nonprofits. One of those projects was the Artificial Intelligence Handbook for Local Government, which he wrote in partnership with the Michigan Municipal League and is one of the few resources on artificial intelligence (AI) tailored to cities. Odelberg is currently a AAAS fellow in the U.S. Congress, but he reflects on his policy roots and how he got his start at the local level.

LZ: How did you first become interested in science policy?

Odelberg: I did my Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in electrical engineering and worked on microelectronics and integrated circuit design. During my Ph.D., I saw a flyer for a 1-credit seminar on science policy. I was really lucky there was a program through the Ford School of Public Policy that I could take classes in. Then I slowly got more involved.

It was kind of scary because I was in classes with people who were much better at writing and reading than I was, or at least it felt that way. But the reception was very positive. The professors were excited to have engineers in the classes and wanted that expertise. 

As scientists and engineers, we like thinking about systems and often see our work as nonpolitical. I was working on technical problems that were interesting. But on a deeper level, I always found myself thinking: where is the bigger picture with some of these technologies? What are going to be the impacts? How is this going to interact with people?

I found policy was a great way to satisfy that curiosity because I could start to see how science doesn’t exist in a mathematical vacuum and how policymakers think about the impact on people’s lives. It was a natural fit.

LZ: How did the idea of the AI Handbook for Local Government come about?

Odelberg: The Ford School has a small think tank called the Community Partnerships Initiative that works with local nonprofits and governments. These groups are often resource-constrained and don’t have much ability to conduct stretch research, especially on technical topics. 

One of those groups was the Michigan Municipal League, a coalition representing municipalities across the state. They were hearing from a lot of mayors and city officials who wanted to learn more about AI. The average municipality in Michigan is quite small, on the order of 10,000 to 20,000 people. These cities were being approached by AI vendors but didn’t have guidance on how to evaluate whether AI was safe or a good idea. The Michigan Municipal League reached out, and I became the technology advisor.

Trevor Odelberg
Trevor Odelberg, St. Ignace, Michigan

When you look online, there is some high-level guidance from the EU and the U.S. federal level, but it hasn't trickled down to the local level. Small cities don’t have many staff and want to know how AI can help them be more efficient. They have different concerns compared to large cities, but there was nothing out there for them.

The mission statement was to create a handbook that was actionable and accessible to help anyone who has never interacted with AI before get up to speed.

LZ: How did you go about researching and writing this AI handbook? What resources did you draw upon?

Odelberg: The first thing was compiling all the existing guidelines, and there are not that many. The most comprehensive AI recommendations out there were from the city of Boston. Seattle has some as well. They were really helpful, but those are bigger cities than what I was targeting, and I still had to take a leap to create guidelines we thought were most appropriate.

I did some interviews with local officials to find out what questions they had. They were not existential but practical—if I have a chatbot for my city or if my employees use ChatGPT, is it safe? It quickly became obvious that the most common type of AI people interact with is going to be generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini.

I also leaned on expertise within the University of Michigan’s engineering school. I have some background in AI and understand many underlying algorithms, but I’m not a computer scientist. I have friends who earned their Ph.D.s in this topic, and I asked them to help me explain how AI works in a simplified sense to make sure I wasn’t losing any accuracy. The section in the handbook that covers how AI works has no math and no technical language. I purposely tried to avoid jargon or acronyms.

LZ: Who is using the handbook now?

Odelberg: The handbook was very well received. It was written over the course of the summer and then presented at the Michigan Municipal League annual convention, which has hundreds to thousands of attendees. In one session, copies of the handbook were printed out and were all taken by about 200 attendees, including, mayors and officials from all over Michigan.

The appetite for the handbook has been bigger than expected. It’s definitely being used within Michigan but also starting to get some traction out of state, as well. There have been a few interview requests, including at the federal level at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I also did an interview with a local NPR station in Austin, Texas, which is considering using AI for building permits.

LZ: Earlier, you mentioned that you worked on other projects during your time at the Ford School of Public Policy. What else have you been involved in?

Odelberg: One project I worked on the most was with the city of Detroit and its Office of Digital Inclusion. They received funding to install municipal fiber, especially for some of the most underserved neighborhoods in Detroit. I resonated with this topic because I believe the internet is a right  and not a luxury anymore. You need it to get a job. You need it to learn. The ask was to investigate municipal fiber models that other cities have used. At first, I was writing an educational document, but it evolved into hands-on advocacy and getting community buy-in. 

LZ: What advice do you have for other scientists and engineers who want to become civically engaged in their communities?

Odelberg: My first advice is to be confident and lean into your expertise. The biggest hurdle is oftentimes feeling comfortable in those policy spaces. Engineers and scientists are conservative by nature. We know what we know; we don't like to overreach. But our experiences and ability to work through the gray area are needed in those spaces. When I say I have a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, policymakers are always really interested and don’t see that as a con.

Second, every city has nonprofits and city councils, but there aren’t many people lining up to do these jobs, especially in smaller cities. It’s not as competitive as you think, and you can explore small ways to get involved, including part-time or on the weekends. People with technical backgrounds can make a lot of impact—more than you realize.

Event Summary: San Leandro – California Coastal Community Cleanup Day

On Saturday, September 21, 2024, ESAL, in collaboration with Eden Youth and City of San Leandro Public Works, hosted a community cleanup initiative, bringing together volunteers from San Leandro and surrounding cities to make a positive impact on the local environment. This event highlighted STEM in action, with residents applying scientific inquiry to the waste observed and collecting data for future use in the Ocean Conservancy’s global ocean trash database. This collaborative effort also served as a temporary resilience hub site, demonstrating the community’s ability to come together to proactively promote environmental stewardship with every piece of trash picked-up and starting informal conversations about planetary and human health.

The community cleanup was a resounding success, showcasing the positive impact that local STEM initiatives can have on the environment and community. By engaging volunteers, partnering with local organizations, and recognizing the efforts of all participants, the event was able to make a significant difference in the community with a tangible impact post-cleanup. Beyond the immediate difference in the environment, one of the other goals of the cleanup was to spark conversations related to the trash being collected, while also promoting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a policy strategy that encourages product manufacturers to take product disposal into account when designing products and packaging. The ‘Keep It Local’ community cleanup initiative demonstrated the power of collective action in addressing environmental challenges. By removing trash and recycling, volunteers not only improved the cleanliness and aesthetics of their neighborhoods in an immediate manner but helped protect local ecosystems. The event also fostered a sense of community and encouraged individuals to take ownership of their environment.

Bag filled with collected cigarette butts.
Bag filled with collected cigarette butts.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 9AM to 12PM PST

Location: Marina Inn and Various Locations Throughout California

Participants: Approximately 30 volunteers

Key Highlights

Successful Main Cleanup: Over 300 pounds of trash and recycling were collected at the Marina Inn event, with a significant number of cigarette butts sent to Terracycle for recycling.

Community-Wide Engagement: Smaller cleanups were organized in neighborhoods across the city, fostering a sense of local pride and ownership.

Volunteer Recognition: ‘Keep It Local’ gift cards were awarded to all volunteers and partners, supporting small businesses in the area and acknowledging their valuable contributions.

Generous Sponsorship: Ava Community Energy provided a $2,500 sponsorship, enabling the event to offer prizes to all participants while stimulating the local economy through gift cards.

Partnerships: Collaborations with Eden Youth strengthened the impact of the cleanup efforts and increased outreach using social media tools inviting youth participation.

How to get involved

In true DIY (Do-It-Yourself) punk rock spirit, participants were encouraged to organize their own cleanups or support organizations like National Stewardship Action Council working toward the vision of the United States attaining an equitable and circular economy. 

For individuals not ready to host their own cleanups, Engagement Volunteer and Civic Scientist, Cynthia Prieto-Diaz with Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally, will be organizing a citywide community cleanup in the Central Valley in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (Monday, January 20, 2025, 9am-12pm PST), hoping to inspire individuals to cleanup their own streets, wherever they may be, using free resources like Drains to Ocean, and apps like Clean Swell to collect valuable data, so that the information can later be accessed through the TIDES (Trash Information and Data for Education and Solutions) website and analyzed for impact.

Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals:

Ava Community Energy

California Coastal Commission

Eden Youth (Trinity Sines, Policy Coordinator | Luis Santos Hernandez, Community Engagement Specialist)

Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally (Taylor Spicer, MDP, Executive Director)

City of San Leandro Public Works

Marina Inn on the San Francisco Bay (Hector Marquina, Front Office Manager)

Torani (In-Kind Donations)

Terracycle (In-Kind Donation, One (1) Cigarette Receptacle Gifted to Marina Inn)

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