“Policy entrepreneurs” often fly under the radar, developing policy ideas to solve problems over decades and surfacing with solutions at just the right moment. Researchers, engineers, consumer advocates, clinicians, civil servants, or community organizers—policy entrepreneurs are innovators who pull together ideas and supporters to accomplish what they could not on their own: a system for […]

Local Fish & Wildlife Commission member Kendra Zamzow shares how her care for the local habitat led her to testify to the National Marine Fisheries Service about double fishing time.

Michael Hendricks, an assistant professor in the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, is an advocate for civic engagement who particularly emphasizes integrating STEM into the legislative process. Learn about how he approaches research, teaching, and mentorship to center civic engagement.

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.

On May 8th, ESAL and the Ecological Society of America co-hosted a virtual event centered around the urgency of protecting wetlands and their significance in maintaining climate resilience in the future. Learn about the ways the event speakers encourage public engagement.

Learn more about the recent history of nuclear energy usage in the United States and how both national and state-level policies are shaping its future.

The debate around abortion is informed by science, medicine, and public health, as well as ethics. Many people with STEM backgrounds feel compelled to get involved. One way to do this is to have critical conversations with your friends, family, and other members of your community. We hope that the information in this post can serve as a guide for anyone looking to engage in this important policy discussion.

Learn about how Arpit Soni uses his background in energy engineering to support efforts towards climate action in California and beyond.

On October 25, five scientists and engineers shared their insights on community engagement at an ESAL happy hour in Oakland, California. The event brought together leaders from across the San Francisco Bay Area who apply their expertise toward pressing problems in their neighborhoods.