Municipal governments are typically constituted of an elected mayor, an elected city council, and several departments. Unlike many other levels of government, the mayor is typically not responsible for executive oversight of city departments. Instead, cities appoint city managers to manage their departments. Because of the breadth of implementation and regulatory responsibilities that fall to city governments, they have a significant impact on the success of many programs including those aimed at addressing social welfare through their work with community-based organizations, sustainable development through their planning departments, public safety through their police departments, and mobility through their streets and transportation departments.
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.
Learn about how, founder and executive director of the Illinois Science Council, Monica Metzler uses her legal training and writing background from working with the Illinois House of Representatives and Democratic National Convention to make science concepts clear and accessible to the public.
The Thriving Earth Exchange project aims to amplify climate narratives in migrant communities. A science educator and artist, Amaris Alanis-Ribeiro, center director of the North Park Village Nature Center in northwest Chicago, noticed the changing demographics of Albany Park and realized the potential of partnering with their local community to share stories, inspire conversations, and celebrate unique cultures and identities across Chicago. Learn more about how Alanis-Ribeiro maintains a connection to her artistic interests, while forging a path in science outreach leadership.
ESAL chats with Molita Sloan, who has spent much of her career in the engineering and tech sector supporting organizational effectiveness and as a life coach for Women in STEM.
Tyler Pew puts his design and build skills to use rebuilding his hometown. The experienced designer, advocate, and civic enthusiast gained attention for his assistance and leadership in the rebuilding of rural Greenville, CA, following the devastation caused by the Dixie Fire in 2021.
As a lightweight, inexpensive, and durable material which can be utilized in a wide range of applications, plastic is ubiquitous. The United States leads the world as the largest generator of plastic packaging waste on a per-capita basis. Despite its usefulness, scientists have raised concerns that plastic waste could lead to damaging environmental and health […]
On December 13th, ESAL discussed perspectives on outreach and inclusivity with a panel of water experts. Learn how the panelists have worked towards contributing to science communication and making science accessible to everyone.
Senior Budget Analyst of Fort Collins, CO, Cody Forst chats with us about a typical municipal budget timeline and how crucial involvement from community members through online feedback and participatory budgeting aid in the process.
This is the second in a series of three articles to help you understand and interpret local budgets. ESAL sits down with Open Budget Oakland’s Felicia Betancourt and Jess Sand to discuss their efforts towards making municipal budgets accessible. Read about how Open Budget Oakland advances local government engagement by combining community and coding.
