Message to Members: Ringing-in Innovation
Voice Your Opinion: Breakthrough of 2005?
AAAS in Action: News to Note
AAAS at Work: Programs at the Forefront
AAAS Announcements: Items of Interest
Read On, Online: Science Sites

Dear AAAS Member,

As we greet 2005, we look forward to a year of new discoveries and new challenges. We'll keep members at the forefront of advances in science with our weekly journal Science and other leading-edge publications. We'll stay on the frontline of service to society through numerous initiatives. As the year progresses, you'll receive notices of our progress in improving science education, enhancing science careers, and reaching out to the public; fostering international cooperation that can assist scientists in developing countries and devise solutions to global problems; and promoting science policy that will increase research funding, aid human welfare, and expand scientific freedom and responsibility.

During the 2005 Annual Meeting, 17-21 February in Washington, DC, please join me in welcoming our incoming AAAS president, Gilbert S. Omenn, Professor of Internal Medicine, Human Genetics, and Public Health at the University of Michigan . Together with our members, we will work toward a more peaceful, humane, and secure world.

Sincerely,
Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS

P.S. Advance registration for the AAAS Annual Meeting closes 21 January. For details, go to http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Annual_Meeting/ .

Click here to vote.
See last month's poll comments: http://promo.aaas.org/kn_marketing/poll1204.shtml .

Eureka ! You've Found the Top Stories of 2004
More than 500 organizations post breaking research news on the popular free-to-the-public science Web site EurekAlert! Find out which of more than 11,000 stories appearing in 2004 attracted the most readers. A new lubricant to safeguard a hard drive, a new wing design for airplanes, an origami-folding robot, an ancient brewery, nature's super glue—read about the top 10 stories at http://www.eurekalert.org/topten2004 .

How to Help Parents Help Kids
“Science—It's Everywhere” is inspiring wonder and discovery through the AAAS Partnership for Science Literacy and our partner museums in five U.S. cities. Parents are becoming involved in broadening their children's interest in science, encouraged by public service announcements, radio broadcasts, and a multilingual website ( www.tryscience.org/parents/parent.html ). Read about this innovative AAAS initiative: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2004/1209scilit.shtml .

Rave Reviews for Crash Course in Science Policy
Last November, the first-ever AAAS Leadership Seminar in Science and Technology Policy garnered rave reviews from U.S. federal staffers, foreign embassy officials, business executives, higher education administrators, and others who came to learn how federal S&T policy is made. Modeled after the two-week annual orientation program for AAAS S&T Policy Fellows, the seminar received support from the William T. Golden Endowment Fund for Program Innovation. Read more: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2005/0103st.shtml .

A Milestone in Congressional Briefings
In December, the AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy, founded in 2004 with Norman Neureiter as director, held its first briefing for U.S. congressional staffers. The Center will build new connections between science, research institutions, and U.S. policy-makers, providing objective scientific information in quick response to technical questions from members of Congress and their staff. Read more: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2004/1221cstspIntro.shtml .

Read the Premier Issue of Science, Published in 1880
What was Science reporting 125 years ago? See for yourself in the first issue, edited by founder Thomas Alva Edison and published on 3 July, 1880 . During 2005, we will celebrate our 125th year with a series of special highlights. Members and the public (register for free access) are invited to view the historic first issue: http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/firstissue/ .

Human Rights and Academic Freedom
In 1977, AAAS established the Science and Human Rights Program to give scientists a way to assist colleagues worldwide whose rights are being violated. Each year at the AAAS Annual Meeting, a reception honors scientists who by example and action, often at great personal risk, have promoted human rights. AAAS continues to help scientists flourish internationally by protecting the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas; the freedom of association and assembly; and the freedom of nondiscrimination.

On 8 December 2004 , the program organized a special annual event to observe Human Rights Day, the anniversary of the adoption by the U.N. General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Read about the event which focused on academic freedom in Iraq : http://shr.aaas.org/hrday/ . Read more about the program: http://shr.aaas.org/about.htm . 

 Member Benefit: A Rebate from Apple
Now it's easier to take your research on the road. Take advantage of an Apple rebate, exclusive to AAAS members: Purchase a 12-inch, 15-inch, or 17-inch PowerBook G4 anytime before 31 January 2005 and receive $100 back, via mail-in rebate. For more information on this and other AAAS member benefits, go to http://aaasmember.sciencemag.org . 

International Careers Report: Singapore
Interested in working in Singapore or finding out more about the bioscience enterprise in Singapore? A special careers feature in the 18 February issue of Science focuses on the city state's continued need to recruit qualified scientists from around the globe. For international job listings and career advice, go to http://www.sciencecareers.org and http://www.careers.org/singapore . To place a recruitment ad in the 18 February issue, contact Tracy Holmes: tholmes@science-int.co.uk .

2005 AAAS Annual Meeting: Family Science Days
Kid-friendly lab demonstrations, chemistry projects, and other intriguing activities will draw families, friends, and teachers to this popular free event. Kids can join a rolling rain forest eco-adventure, become a giant bird in a feeding frenzy, try an interactive mission to Mercury, discover the mysteries of hair, and more. Don't miss the fun in the Exhibit Hall 19-20 February during the Annual Meeting in Washington , D.C. Read the schedule: http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Annual_Meeting/02_PE/PE_11_FSD.shtml .

2006 AAAS Annual Meeting: Propose a Symposium
Grand Challenges, Great Opportunities: the theme of the 2006 Annual Meeting encourages AAAS sections, individuals, and groups everywhere to submit disciplinary and cross-disciplinary symposia proposals that can mobilize the creativity of scientists and engender the enthusiasm of policy makers. The deadline is 2 May 2005 . The Annual Meeting will be held in St. Louis , Missouri , 16-20 February 2006. Read the instructions for submitting proposals and/or nominating topical lecturers: http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Annual_Meeting/2006_St_Louis/2006_PE_08_Sym_Home.shtml .

Meet Up at Upcoming Events
Stop by the AAAS booth to pick up your member pin.

LabAutomation 2005, San Jose , California , U.S.A. , 30 January-3 February. Information:
http://labautomation.org/LA/LA05/ .

AAAS Annual Meeting 2005, Washington , DC , U.S.A. , 17 – 21 February. Information:
http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Annual_Meeting/

Pittcon 2005, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A., 27 February-4 March. Information:
http://www.appcluster05.com/app/homepage.cfm?appname=351&moduleid=625 .

AAAS News & Notes appears in Science in the last issue of each month. Or access http://www.aaas.org/ or http://www.scienceonline.org/ .