On September 30, ESAL and the Ecological Society of America co-hosted a webinar on “Scientists as Citizens: Getting Involved with Local Government.” ESAL volunteers made the case for how scientists can impact city, county, and state policy and presented time-tested strategies for effective engagement.

Ashton Powell is a biology instructor at the North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics and elected member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. He spoke with ESAL about how he uses his research and policy background to improve equity and mental health issues in the classroom.

The AGU's Thriving Earth Exchange program connects communities with scientists to develop community science programs tackling natural hazards, resources, and climate change. These projects are driven by the philosophy that all communities should have access to science.

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.

Ravi Mikkelsen is the co-founder of ATMOS Financial, an organization which builds banking solutions that allow customers to have a direct impact on the transition to a clean economy. He spoke with ESAL about how using his technical engineering degree to tackle climate change in the financial sector.

ESAL spoke with Kendra Zamzow, an environmental chemist in Chickaloon, Alaska who provides scientific input to mining approval decisions on behalf of community groups and tribes throughout the country. The conversation covered the scientific and engineering issues associated with mining and how regulators learn about and use that information.

The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) is a non-profit that harnesses data on science, policy, management and industry in the Great Lakes region. CEO Kelli Paige spoke to ESAL about the services GLOS provides to facilitate management and policy needs in the region.

Lindsey Hillesheim draws from her experience working for the Department of Defense as she leads AI strategy and solutions development efforts at Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She spoke with ESAL about how her Ph.D. in physics helps her engage the state’s science and engineer entrepreneurs and actualize their ideas for regional problem-solving.

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.