Learn more about ESAL Executive Director Taylor Spicer's experience at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference in Phildelphia, PA in May 2026.

Conservation X Labs is a nonprofit organization working to prevent the sixth mass extinction--the potential for ecological destruction driven by human activity. ESAL had the chance to talk to Liam Torpy, who led Conservation X Labs’ Fire Grand Challenge from August 2024 until its conclusion in January 2026. The Fire Grand Challenge was an open […]

ESAL had the opportunity to connect with Kristan Uhlenbrock, Executive Director of the Institute for Science & Policy and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Learn more about her work and how she encourages scientists to engage with policy.

ESAL spoke with director of the Environmental Innovations Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Katie Baillie. Learn about her journey, approach to sustainability, and her advice for students and STEM professionals interested in making a difference.

Andrew Hillman is a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a member of the Soil and Water Conservation Society where he engages with the public and advises on policy relating to soil and water conservation.

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.

ESAL sits with Adam Seth Levine ,Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and president and co-founder of research4impact, a nonprofit organization that connects researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

In a recent conversation with ESAL, Kavin Manickaraj, chief data scientist at Greenlink Analytics, reflected on how his concern for the well-being of the local community and effects of climate change informs his science and career path. Learn more about how Kavin wants to bridge the gap between science and political action.

Amy Sharma, PhD is the executive director of Science for Georgia, an organization whose mission is to advocate for the responsible use of science in public policy, improve communication between scientists and the public, and increase public engagement with science. She chatted with ESAL about the value of factual scientific support to state legislators and interpersonal relationships between scientists and other community members.