Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL) is excited to announce a collaboration with the Ecological Society of America (ESA) to offer an interactive learning experience using The Local Civic Engagement Toolkit to the inaugural ESA Civic Society Cohort, a group of ESA members interested in building their local civic engagement skills.
ESAL and ESA have worked together since 2019 to provide workshops on local civic engagement and to co-lead a panel during the ESA annual meeting tailored to the needs and interests of ecologists looking to participate in policy development. ESA staff have been influential in ESAL’s development, providing strategic input that has shaped what ESAL’s programs look like today.
Building on this longstanding relationship, this joint effort will provide a supportive pathway to local civic action for a cohort of 20 ESA members. Participants in the ESA Civic Society Cohort will gain access to The Toolkit through a hybrid learning experience beginning in January 2027.
“We’re thrilled to expand ESAL’s partnership with ESA to include new training opportunities through our Local Civic Engagement Toolkit. As scientists and engineers look for new avenues to develop skills, ESAL is committed to providing timely and actionable resources that meet their needs and speak to the current political environment. We appreciate our longstanding collaboration with ESA and look forward to helping their members become more active change makers in their home communities,” said Chris Jackson, who serves as the narrator for the course as well as ESAL’s workshops director and a member of the board of directors.
The Local Civic Engagement Toolkit is ESAL’s comprehensive course, developed to go deeper into the strategies for local engagement presented in workshops. Through a series of video modules, participants hear from local STEM leaders sharing their real-world experiences to learn how to engage with state and local governments, support community groups and take part in local STEM initiatives. Each module is paired with a series of exercises, designed for participants to apply what they have learned to the context of their local community and make plans to take action.
“Important decisions about our environment and ecosystems are made every day in states, cities and communities, and we want ESA members to have the tools needed to be part of those policymaking processes. This ESAL training is unique in its focus on local engagement and its tailoring to STEM professionals. We are excited to share this resource with our members,” said Peter Groffman, ESA’s president.
The ESA Public Affairs Committee is leading development of the Civic Society Cohort program. After using ESAL’s Toolkit for training, the cohort will then participate in live discussions facilitated by the ESAL team, where they will hone their policy skills for application to local ecological issues while also deepening connections with other civically engaged ESA members. ESAL and ESA will support the participants for planning local civic engagement. Members of the inaugural ESA Civic Society Cohort will share their experiences and new skills with their peers.
ESA officially announced the Civic Society Cohort launch at the ESA Annual Meeting this week in Salt Lake City, Utah (July 26-31, 2026), and will be releasing more information about the Civic Society Cohort selection process in the coming months.
Those interested in civic learning opportunities available from ESAL can find out more information on our website.
