This is the first installment of ESAL Founder & Chair Arti Garg's diary of her participation in a policy innovation workshop on community safety. This post discusses why she believes a community-driven process can provide innovative new solutions.

The BLOCK Project is a grassroots program confronting the challenge of skyrocketing rent and property values. The project builds detached accessory dwelling units in backyards to house people. To date, the project has built 10 homes, with another 5 anticipated within the next year.

Educators Stuart Loebl and Nancy Wright describe the "Science Kits" program they developed for the Hayward Unified School District to facilitate equitable science education during distance learning.

Varsha Chauhan is a physician and computer scientist. Her career trajectory has included leadership roles public health, health IT, and health systems administration. Most recently she was elected Board member of Eden Health District. ESAL interviewed Chauhan to learn more about how she has woven government and community engagement throughout her career.

On December 2, ESAL co-hosted “Creating Safe Post-Pandemic School Systems”, a virtual panel with the Architectural Engineering Institute. Panelists discussed risk management, engineering solutions, and practical considerations for reopening schools.

In November, ESAL spoke to members of the Wastewater Epidemiology for the Bay Area (Covid-WEB) team about wastewater epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 and the Covid-WEB project.

The Conservation Federation of Missouri's (CFM) mission is to ensure that the state’s wildlife, natural resources, and rich outdoor heritage are preserved through advocacy, education, and partnerships. ESAL spoke with Colton Zirkle, education and communications coordinator at CFM, to learn more about their work advocating for the Missouri outdoors.

“Our expertise is science; their expertise is what they need.” This statement by panelist Elina Kostyanovskaya referred to the importance of listening to vulnerable communities. It was one of several key takeaways from the webinar “STEM Students Responding to COVID in their Communities,” which was jointly hosted by ESAL and the National Science Policy Network […]

Brian Fannon spent 11 formative years as a biologist in Alaskan marine fisheries before returning to North Carolina for his PhD studying the effects of river geomorphology on the landscape. Today, he works as a "Riverkeeper" at non-profit Yadkin Riverkeeper, where he monitors, advocates for, and protects the health of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin.