On September 8, ESAL co-hosted “Beyond the Bench: Scientists Shaping State & Local Policy”, a virtual event with the American Chemical Society. A panel of three California scientists shared their transition into science policy and advice for local engagement.

ESAL covered an online discussion by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy with California’s Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis on the state’s response to COVID-19 challenges. The conversation also addressed the growing role of state and city governments’ broader leadership in international affairs.

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.

ESAL Founder & Chair, Arti Garg, spoke as a panelist in a Town Hall discussion entitled “100 Years of the 19th Amendment: A Discussion on Progress and Challenges,” at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

ESAL had a strong presence at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Through speakers and events, our group shared ways that scientists and engineers could get involved in their communities right away, and have an impact on the biggest challenges we face.

At the American Geophysical Union’s 2019 Fall Meeting, ESAL hosted two sessions about scientists engaging as citizens in their communities. They brought together diverse groups of scientists who shared experience, advice, and inspiration about impacting city, regional, and state policies.

On December 10, 2019, geoscientists and policy enthusiasts joined for a Science & Democracy happy hour in San Francisco, a public event that coincided with the American Geophysical Union’s 2019 Fall Meeting. The event was organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists along with ESAL and other partner organizations.

On November 1 and 2, ESAL presented workshops on local engagement at the National Science Policy Network’s 2019 Science Policy Symposium at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. NSPN is a nationwide group of early-career researchers interested in science policy.

On November 6, ESAL co-hosted a happy hour with Tech Exchange, a nonprofit in Oakland, California tackling the digital divide. The event included a tour of the Tech Exchange warehouse, where they refurbish electronic equipment for distribution.