Service on boards, commissions, task forces, and working groups provides scientists and engineers with high-impact pathways to making a difference in their community.
This July, ESAL is offering a way for you to take your learning to the next level by connecting with other civic-minded people in STEM. We will host our first learning cohort for The Toolkit from July 6th to 31st, 2026. Participants in the cohort get access to the course materials week by week and receive access to weekly discussion sessions to go deeper.
On May 8th, ESAL and the Ecological Society of America co-hosted a virtual event centered around the urgency of protecting wetlands and their significance in maintaining climate resilience in the future. Learn about the ways the event speakers encourage public engagement.
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.
Dale Medearis is a senior environmental planner at the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, spearheading their climate and international partnerships. He spoke with ESAL about how policy and technical innovations from abroad can benefit local communities.
Our latest playbook guide aims to help you find an entry point into local policy engagement through service on an advisory board or commission. We walk you through how to overcome some of the common barriers, including identifying an advisory board and preparing for your interview and service.
Monya Lane is the CEO of the Livermore Science & Society Center, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting people with science and technology. The group is in the planning phases of a science center to serve the students, families, and their communities of the California Tri-Valley area.
On September 12, ESAL hosted a roundtable discussion on local water policy in Oakland, California. The event featured a panel of San Francisco Bay Area leaders who contribute to innovation in water-related technologies and policy decision making.
After completing a Ph.D. and post-doctoral fellowship in molecular biology, Mike Fisher moved to Red Bank, a vibrant town of 12,000 residents along the Jersey Shore. There, he joined the local environmental commission, leading to later efforts on a congressional campaign and his current job at the Federation of American Scientists, a science and technology nonprofit organization in D.C.
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.
