Dale Medearis is a senior environmental planner at the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, spearheading their climate and international partnerships. He spoke with ESAL about how policy and technical innovations from abroad can benefit local communities.

Ian Simon serves as an elected commissioner of his Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), part of a unique system that gives voice to neighborhoods across D.C. Simon talked to ESAL about translating his federal policy experience to tackle local housing, education, and business issues.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kathryn Kundrod and Mary Natoli are Ph.D. candidates in the bioengineering graduate program at Rice University and active members of Rice University’s Cycling and Triathlon Club. ESAL interviewed them about their advocacy for transportation safety around campus and broadly in the City of Houston.

The Scientific Citizenship Initiative (SCI), based in Boston, Massachusetts, aims to make science “more socially responsive and responsible” by expanding STEM student training in leadership, communication, and ethics, and developing fellowships for scientists to serve in their communities.