Local governments make many STEM-related policy decisions ranging from implementing climate resilient building codes, to leveraging AI-assisted law enforcement technology, to protecting public health. Bringing a science-informed perspective to advocacy efforts can impact policy outcomes.
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.
Frankie Barker talks about how she helped write an ordinance that would require anyone building roads in Alaska's Matanuska-Susitna Borough to adhere to US Fish and Wildlife Service standards for fish passage when installing culverts.
Computer scientist and physicist Dave Leichtman has been involved in political technology for over ten years. He helped build a tech volunteer group in his state to connect tech-savvy individuals with campaigns. Now, he is the vice chair for technology and communications of the Democratic Party of Virginia.
