On October 12, ESAL co-hosted “Science, Technology, and the Vote”, a virtual panel with the AAAS Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues. Panelists discussed how science and technology can help ensure the fairness, integrity, and security of the voting process.

On September 8, ESAL co-hosted “Beyond the Bench: Scientists Shaping State & Local Policy”, a virtual event with the American Chemical Society. A panel of three California scientists shared their transition into science policy and advice for local engagement.

Cure Violence Global uses public health techniques to to reduce violence in cities. ESAL spoke with Charlie Ransford, senior director of science and policy, to find out more about their approach and how it works.

The California Council on Science and Technology connects California scientists to policy and decision makers with expert advice on issues such as the environment, education, health, and disaster response. CCST leaders Amber Mace and Sarah Brady spoke with ESAL about the organization’s latest endeavors.

While electric vehicles are a critical part of local climate change and air pollution mitigation, structural barriers create gaps in charging infrastructure for marginalized communities. ESAL volunteer Chris Jackson recently published a policy brief outlining how policymakers can ensure that those benefits are equitably distributed.

As facial recognition becomes widely available, local governments are grappling with whether and how to use it. The Science Policy Group at Berkeley recently published a policy brief outlining how privacy advisory commissions can oversee these technologies.

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.

ESAL covered an online discussion by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy with California’s Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis on the state’s response to COVID-19 challenges. The conversation also addressed the growing role of state and city governments’ broader leadership in international affairs.

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.