AAAS Advances Newsletter- February 2006

Advances - The Monthly Newsletter for AAAS Members - February 2006

Message to Members: The Opportunities of Innovation
AAAS in Action: News to Note
AAAS Science Careers: Events, Tools, Advice
AAAS at Work: Programs at the Forefront
AAAS Announcements: Items of Interest
Read On, Online: Science Sites

This month's Advances is sponsored by the AAAS Member-Get-a-Member Program
No one knows the value of AAAS better than our members. That's why we are asking you to refer a friend or colleague to help AAAS do even more to advance science and serve society. Bring in just one new member, and receive a AAAS/ Science umbrella. Three members equal a travel bag; five members, a USB memory stick; 10 members, an iPod Shuffle; 50 members, a trip for two to the AAAS Annual Meeting; 100 members, an iMac computer. Start earning your rewards through our newest member benefit program. Go to http://promo.aaas.org/mgam. For details, visit http://promo.aaas.org/mgamtc/. Promotion ends 31 December 2008 .

Message to Members
ADVOCACY FOR POLICIES THAT ENHANCE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

Dear AAAS Member,

As we convene our 2006 Annual Meeting on 16 February, we address the challenges that inspire scientists, engineers, teachers, and citizens to seize the opportunities that benefit the broad global community and keep the United States economically competitive.

But these grand challenges will go unmet, and these great opportunities will be lost, unless the nations of the world focus on increasing initiatives for innovation and improving infrastructure for long-term basic research, development and recruitment of new talent, and dramatic improvement of math and science education, as proposed by the National Academies in the report "Rising Above The Gathering Storm" in response to a request from Senators Lamar Alexander and Jeff Bingaman.

AAAS, along with other leaders from industry, academia and governments, has been speaking out in letters to the White House and Congress, and in the public forums, urging new investments. Our collective voice is being heard. The State of the Union address and the President's Budget Request reflect these proposals and the bipartisan interest in the Congress. We applaud those U.S. policy-makers who are working to achieve the S&T goals necessary to maintain economic vitality as we strive to protect national security, more efficiently use our energy sources, and defend against disease threats.

The scientific knowledge and new technologies that have resulted from R&D have driven more than 50 percent of U.S. economic growth over the past century, according to economic analyses. As we continue to urge increased R&D and education funding, our R&D Budget and Policy Program reports to you on a new page of the AAAS website. You'll find our full preliminary analysis of the FY 2007 U.S. budget at http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/fy07.htm.

We hope to see many of you as you join these discussions at our Annual Meeting. We have added a three-hour budget analysis session on the afternoon of 18 February, in the context of our rich program of symposia, lectures, and section and committee meetings.

Sincerely yours,

Gilbert S. Omenn, President, AAAS

P.S. Be sure to check out the Science NOW website for daily coverage of the AAAS Annual Meeting: http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/.

AAAS in Action
NEWS TO NOTE

National Labs: The Engine of U.S. Innovation
From Cold War era defense interests to today's needs for energy efficiency, national labs have evolved to meet demands for long-term, high-risk research that powers the U.S. economy. Robert Rosner, director of the Argonne National Laboratory, explored "The Role of the National Labs Today" in a lecture delivered at AAAS in January. Read how the labs provide a vital bridge between academia and industry in driving innovation: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/0118rosner.shtml.

A Conversation: Scientific Statesman Speaks Out
One of the architects of the hydrogen bomb, physicist Richard Garwin has spent a lifetime in the labs of science and the halls of power. During a recent wide-ranging conversation sponsored by the AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Security Policy, Garwin talked about his historic role in advising U.S. presidents on national security, beginning in the 1950s, and the modern threat of proliferation and terrorist access to a nuclear bomb. Read about the storied career of a scientific statesman: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/0117garwin.shtml.

First Abelson Seminar: Global Epidemic of Chronic Disease
At least 35 million deaths this year will result from heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, according to speakers at the inaugural Philip Hauge Abelson Advancing Science Seminar. The series, which addresses major societal challenges, honors the researcher who was editor of Science for 22 years. Read how misconceptions about causes have affected policy decisions and slowed worldwide response, new research into novel therapies, and strategies for behavior change, and view speaker presentations at http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2005/1221abelson.shtml.

AAAS at Work
PROGRAMS AT THE FOREFRONT

Education: Classroom Videotaping Teaches the Teachers
When teachers in four U.S. school districts watched themselves teaching mathematics, they saw new opportunities to develop students' problem-solving strategies and new ways to focus on mathematical ideas.

The five-year study, "Improving Mathematics Teacher Practice and Student Learning through Professional Development," is a natural extension of Project 2061, the AAAS initiative to dramatically reform math and science education. Find out more about the project's hallmark recommendations for math and science skills prior to high school graduation, the benchmarks for standards-based education, and the analysis of math textbooks which led to the current study: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2005/1228video.shtml.

Public Dialogue: The Scientific and Religious Communities
Building on the longstanding commitment to relate scientific knowledge and technological development to the concerns of society at large, and to understand the cultural context in which science operates, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) in 1995.

The different paradigms for the emergence of life, inheritable genetic modifications, and a second genesis of life in the solar system have been the topics of a monthly public lecture series that brings scientists, ethicists, and theologians together for a lecture and discussion. The program also organizes conferences, working groups, and research seminars. Read more and sign up to receive notices of future events:
http://www.aaas.org/spp/dser/about/index.shtml.

Human Rights: Exploring Geospatial Technology
How can satellite imagery and other cutting-edge geospatial technologies be used to assess current human rights violations and monitor developing crises? A year-long AAAS project, funded by a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, will study how the technology can be used effectively and, if broad utility is determined, will seek to establish an ongoing project.

Geospatial technology is potentially a significant tool in geographical areas, such as the Sudan , where it is difficult to send observers. Read more about the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program and how this initiative can help identify and pinpoint signs of violence such as razed villages, burned fields, forced human migration, and stolen cattle:
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/0127geospatial.shtml.

Human Resources: Recruiting and Retaining Minority Scholars
How do we increase the numbers of Ph.D. degrees earned by minorities in the fields of science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM)? This challenge, and a collaboration between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and AAAS to help meet it, was the focus of a three-day conference in Puerto Rico in late January. More than 150 science advocates, federal officials, scholars, and administrators gathered to exchange ideas on adapting recruitment and retention efforts to changing trends.

Alliances between colleges and universities, funded by NSF grants with AAAS leading the data collection and evaluation capabilities component necessary for change, seek to boost underrepresented talent in the next generation of U.S. S&T professionals as a matter of national security and economic survival. Read more about this critical AAAS program: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/0208minoritygains.shtml.

AAAS Science Careers
EVENTS, TOOLS, ADVICE

As a service to members, we offer this resource for career-enhancing news of events, tools, and advice. For job listings and career development, see the redesigned Science Careers and Science 's Next Wave website: http://www.sciencecareers.org/.

GrantsNet
Your one-stop online funding resource gives you the latest updates on research grants, scholarships, fellowships, and internships including opportunities for postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. Listings cover U.S. government and international funding. Go to http://www.grantsnet.org/.

Science International Careers Focus: Switzerland
See the 17 February issue of Science for a special careers feature focusing on Swiss collaborations between industry, academia, and government and how this cooperation influences career opportunities. For international job listings and career advice, go to http://www.sciencecareers.org//. To place recruitment ads, contact Christina Harrison: mailto:charrison@science-int.co.uk.

Upcoming ScienceCareers.org Outreach Events
ScienceCareers.org, the AAAS/ Science careers website, has a full schedule of outreach events in the United States , Canada , and Europe .

AAAS Annual Meeting: Interviewing Skills for Scientists Entering Industry Research , 17 February, St. Louis , Missouri , U.S.A. This interactive workshop, sponsored by ScienceCareers.org, the AAAS Center on Careers for Science & Technology, and Kelly Scientific Resources, presents industry experts and Ph.D. research scientists who have experienced the interview process. An interview skit illustrates typical dialogue between two scientists during the candidate screening process. Throughout the workshop, the panelists provide comments, insights, and suggestions on successful interviewing skills. This event is free, but requires on-site registration for an exhibit hall pass to the Annual Meeting. More info: http://tinyurl.com/ahkcs.

A Career Development Workshop for Researchers , 1-2 March, E.T.S.I. Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid , Madrid , Spain . Information: http://www.jornadas-precarios-2006.org/programa.htm.

Drug Discovery Technology Europe 2006, Tools for Researchers: Industry Careers , 15 March, London, U.K. Career advice from leading experts in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers. To register visit http://www.drugdisc.com/europe.

AAAS Announcements
ITEMS OF INTEREST

Science Sponsors Panel at the Cambridge Science Festival
On 23 March, AAAS/ Science is sponsoring an evening panel discussion, "Priorities for Planet and People," chaired by Tim Radford, The Guardian 's former science editor. Cambridge-based participants will cover medical and environmental topics. For more information on the festival, 15-26 March in Cambridge , U.K. , go to http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/science/.

Attend a Presentation on Science and Culture
"A Harmonious Commitment to Science and Culture," an evening conversation with Drs. Hana and Francisco J. Ayala, will be held on 23 March at AAAS headquarters in Washington, D.C. Hana Ayala heads an economic development company that blends tourism with conservation and research. Francisco J. Ayala is a past president of AAAS, a university professor of biological sciences, and a pioneer in revolutionizing evolutionary theory to develop new ways to prevent and treat diseases. There is no cost for the 7:30 p.m. event, but seating is limited. RSVP promptly by calling (800) 215-1969 or e-mail mailto:developmentevents@aaas.org. Information: http://www.aaas.org/ayala.

Join a Conference on Science and Innovation
AAAS and the University of Southern California present special tours of USC's state-of-the-art facilities and a one-day conference, 10-11 April . The conference will feature some of the world's foremost scientific thinkers, futurists, and an audience vested in raising the nation's awareness of global challenges in science and innovation and includes participants Chris Matthews of MSNBC and Ray Kurzweil, inventor, entrepreneur, author, and futurist. Three interactive sessions on stem cell research, China and India , and critical aspects of science and innovation focus on America 's international standing and preparedness to meet the future global challenges. The conference cost is $35.00; the tours are free. Information: http://www.use.edu/conference125. RSVP at http://www.usc.edu/rsvp(code 4116), or call USC at (213) 740-6786.

Science and Visualization Challenge: Call for Entries
From the diagrams of DaVinci to the latest photos from the most remote galactic outback, art promotes understanding of research results and scientific phenomena. Awards for outstanding examples of visual media will recognize photography, illustration, informational graphics, interactive media, and noninteractive media. The deadline is 31 May for international entries in the 2006 annual competition, sponsored by AAAS and the National Science Foundation. For full details, go to http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/scivis/index.jsp?id=challenge.

Members Subscribe to STKE at Discounted Rates
AAAS members may subscribe to the Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment (STKE) at the reduced rate of US$69. One-year (51 issues) individual paid subscriptions provide complete access to STKE, including: perspectives, reviews, protocols, This Week in Signal Transduction, the Virtual Journal, membership in the online community, directory listing, and unique personalization and alerting features. To subscribe, go to
http://www.sciencemag.org/subscriptions/indiv_access.dtl#section_science-stke.

Science Podcast
On a pilot basis, Science will be offering periodic podcasts built around interesting stories in the journal and on its sister sites. Go to http://www.sciencemag.org/about/podcast.dtlto listen to the latest podcast and for instructions on how to subscribe.

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

AAAS 2006 Annual Meeting
Join us 16-20 February in St. Louis , Missouri , U.S.A. , for "Grand Challenges, Great Opportunities." Choose from more than 200 symposia, plenary lectures, topical lectures, and seminars that address national and global challenges and opportunities in climate change, bioterrorism, nanotechnology, and other major issues. Stop by our booth to pick up a member pin or a Milestones of Science poster and renew your membership. We're offering a free AAAS 25th anniversary shirt to anyone who joins or renews at the meeting. Information: http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Annual_Meeting/.

Pittcon 2006 , 13-16 March 2006, Orange County Convention Center ,
Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. Booth #948. Information: http://www.pittcon.org/.

Drug Discovery and Development Summit , 24-26 April, Tokyo , Japan . Information: http://www.drugdisc.com/Japan.

Additional Meetings of Interest

Courses and Training: Third Annual Experimental Neurogenetics of the Mouse ,
8-16 May, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis , Tennessee , U.S.A. Information: http://tinyurl.com/dxmg4.

MDC International Conference on Epithelial Organization and Organ Development, 11-14 May, Berlin , Germany . Information:
http://tinyurl.com/adgwg.

Spinal Cord Injury Research Training Program , 16 July-5 August, The Ohio State University, Columbus , Ohio , U.S.A. Information: http://tinyurl.com/d5mwf.

11th Prouts Neck Prostate Cancer Meeting, "Emerging Strategies in Prostate Cancer Therapy," 2-5 November, Black Pointe Inn , Prouts Neck , Maine , U.S.A. Information:
http://tinyurl.com/8jbyg

This month's Advances is sponsored by our new Member-Get-a-Member Program
No one knows the value of AAAS better than our members. That's why we are asking you to refer a friend or colleague to help AAAS do even more to advance science and serve society. Bring in just one new member, and receive a AAAS/ Science umbrella. Three members equal a travel bag; five members, a USB memory stick; 10 members, an iPod Shuffle; 50 members, a trip for two to the AAAS Annual Meeting; 100 members, an iMac computer. Start earning your rewards through our newest member benefit program. Go to http://promo.aaas.org/mgam. For details, visit http://promo.aaas.org/mgamtc/. Promotion ends 31 December 2008 .

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