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.
Jennifer Costley is the director of physical science, sustainability, and engineering at the New York Academy of Sciences. The Academy recently hosted a summit on climate change and adaptation planning to discuss the findings from the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC). Costley spoke to ESAL about the collaboration between the Academy and the NPCC on their milestone anniversary.
The CivicSpark fellowship program has engaged over 200 fellows and some 35,000 California residents on projects concerning sea level rise, affordable housing, climate action planning, and sustainable transportation. Scheuer told ESAL about the program’s new “resilience” focus as they prepare to select their latest cohort of fellows.
Arti Garg, ESAL Founder & Chair, recently spoke on a panel entitled "Influencing Policy: Opportunities for Scientists and Engineers" at the 2019 Annual AAAS Meeting. Here are her thoughts on becoming better "scientist citizens".
Audrey Lee, a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, has helped translate energy policy at the highest levels of US government, advised the president of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and served on the BART Environmental Justice Commission. At Sunrun, she continues to work closely with policymakers, bringing residential energy solutions like solar and batteries to market to meet environmental and policy goals.
DemocracyLab is an open-source platform shaping the field of civic tech, or technology for the public good. They match skilled volunteers with projects to take advantage the untapped potential of the civic tech movement.
Alex Luce, a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering, volunteers his expertise on Berkeley’s Energy Commission. The Commission is focused on helping the city achieve its climate and energy goals.
Based in San Francisco, City Innovate has a novel premise: they match start-ups with local government via a startup in residence program to form technologically savvy collaborations. Their mission is to show that “government can be a force for good, and that the best way to address the challenges we face in our communities is by working together across government, sectors, and cities.”
Robert G. Kennedy III, PE, has long viewed civic engagement and technical expertise as balanced components in a well-rounded career. Since 2008, he has served on the Environmental Quality Advisory Board for Oak Ridge, Tennessee and is currently the board’s chair.
The inaugural post of our "Local STEM" series features the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). CUSP brings engineers and scientists together with city governments to tackle urban issues. We interviewed CUSP Executive Director Michael Holland to learn more about their work.
