In this issue:

Message to Members: Expanding the Role of AAAS

News to Note: R&D Earmarking, Science Curricula, US Education Standards, Nobelists Speak, Science as Campaign Issue

Advancing Science, Serving Society: Mass Media Fellows, AAAS-China Cooperation

Science Careers: Special Features, Workshops, Events

Announcements: Combined Federal Campaign, AAAS Division Meetings, Seminars

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Sponsored by:

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Message to Members

Expanding the Role of AAAS

Dear AAAS Member,

As science and engineering have rapidly advanced to meet unprecedented global challenges, so have AAAS’s national and international efforts promoting these endeavors and their use for the benefit of people throughout the world.

To reflect our expanding role, the AAAS Board of Directors recently adopted a new framing of our mission and goals. As now stated, the AAAS mission is to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people. This mission and the strategic goals that support it provide specific guidance for what we do and why we do it, in all of our programmatic and publishing activities. Our goals continue to focus on science education and communication; a stronger and more diverse S&T work force and enterprise; public engagement with science, and international cooperation among scientists. In addition, we have placed expanded emphasis on defending the integrity of science, promoting its responsible use in public policy, and providing a strong voice for science on societal issues. You can find the exact language of the AAAS Board of Directors statement at http://www.aaas.org/aboutaaas/mission/ .

We thank our members for their support in our expanded efforts to advance science and serve society.


Sincerely,


Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS

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News to Note

New US Budget Analysis Shows Return to R&D Earmarking
Smaller and more transparent earmarks of federal funds for favored domestic projects are returning after a one-year moratorium on the controversial practice. With the budget-making process still underway for the 2008 fiscal year that begins 1 October, appropriations panels in the US Senate and US House have designated nondefense earmarks for performer-specific projects. They comprise a bit less than 1 percent of total R&D appropriations. The Department of Defense would remain the biggest single recipient with R&D earmarks just under 3 percent of the total Defense R&D portfolio. Read the key findings of the AAAS analysis, see the full analysis, and search AAAS’s new database of 2008 earmarks.

Project 2061 Hosts Conference on State-of-the-Art Science Curricula
US students are scoring far behind students in other countries in their understanding of basic science ideas and principles, which could seriously affect the American work force and the nation’s ability to thrive in a world of technical complexity. The Center for Curriculum Materials in Science, a collaboration led by AAAS’s Project 2061, was created five years ago to help reverse this trend. In late July, the center’s Knowledge Sharing Institute drew 100 researchers and educators for three days of symposia and presentations covering innovative curriculum and strategies to help students learn important science ideas and skills. Read about the center’s graduate student and postdoctoral scholars, new teaching methods, and a US Capitol Hill reception which featured remarks by Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers (R-Mich.) and gave scholars opportunities to get acquainted with congressional staff and legislators including Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine).

AAAS Urges Voluntary US Education Standards
Citing the need to “scrap the crazy-quilt pattern of widely differing tests and proficiency thresholds that currently vary from state to state,” CEO Alan Leshner called for a coherent, uniform set of voluntary national education standards. The 15 August commentary, published in the Washington Times, urged the incorporation of these standards under the No Child Left Behind Act as two pending revision bills are being considered in the US Congress. Read the complete commentary, which states that the standards could be based on well-tested, widely accepted science, education, and mathematics guidelines set forth by AAAS’s Project 2061 and national education groups.

2006 Nobelists Cite Collaboration and Funding as Key to Big Discoveries
Nobel Laureates John Mather (Physics) and Craig Mello (Physiology or Medicine) led a public discussion on the origins of life and the universe at an event held in late July at the US Library of Congress and jointly sponsored by AAAS. Mather, an astrophysicist working in cosmology, covered “the history of the planet in a nutshell.” Mello, discussing his work in genetics, explained the intricate workings of RNA interference (RNAi) to regulate gene expression and how, with the human genome sequence, this information can revolutionize medicine. They cited scientific collaboration and basic research funding as key to breakthroughs in scientific discovery. Read more and watch a webcast of the talks.

AAAS Calls on Presidential Candidates to Provide Scientific Leadership
Looking back in history to Thomas Jefferson’s broad scientific knowledge and Abraham Lincoln’s comfort in talking about the scientific issues of his day, CEO Alan Leshner noted the “lack of such thoughtful discussion thus far in the 2008 presidential campaign.” The commentary, published 4 September in Iowa’s Des Moines Register, states that many critical issues—climate change and use of fossil fuels, new energy sources, high-tech defense systems, and educating the work force of the future—“are inseparable from social, economic, and foreign policy.” Leshner further stated that “while some of the candidates have developed detailed positions on S&T, their ideas get little play in the campaign.” Instead, these positions “should help us gauge the candidates’ readiness to lead as we negotiate the opportunities and challenges ahead.” Read the full commentary, published as campaigns gear up for the 14 January Iowa caucus.

Georgia Teacher Wins New AAAS Leadership Prize
Chris Kennedy, a veteran chemistry teacher at Hiram High School in Hiram, Georgia, has won the first AAAS Leadership in Science Education Prize for High School Teachers. This annual award recognizes a US teacher who has contributed significantly to the AAAS goal of advancing science education by developing and implementing an innovative and demonstrably effective strategy, activity, or program. Kennedy’s activity was a lab on electron configurations in the periodic table, allowing students to build their own full-color tables from a simple list of 56 elements. The inquiry-based lesson proved effective, creating debate among students and, for the first time, perfect scores on related questions on their semester exam. Read more about Kennedy’s leadership and access additional information about the prize.

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Advancing Science, Serving Society

Covering Big Science Stories: Mass Media Fellows
“It was the greatest eight weeks of my life,” said Erika Gebel, a Johns Hopkins University Ph.D. candidate in biophysics, about her experience reporting science news at the Philadelphia Inquirer. She was one of 18 AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows who spent the summer communicating complex scientific ideas to the general public at major news outlets across the United States. The Fellows participated in extensive training sessions at AAAS before their assignments and returned on 13 August for a wrap-up session, presenting poster displays of their biggest stories. Also among the 2007 media hosts were the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Wisconsin, National Public Radio affiliates in Ohio and California, and U.S. News & World Report in Washington, D.C. Read more about the Fellows and their stories.

More than 500 Mass Media Fellows are alumni of the program, which was established in 1974. Find out more about the opportunities for graduate and postgraduate level science, engineering, and mathematics students and how to apply.


Improving Scientific Research Publications in China: Chinese Delegation at AAAS
In a continuing international collaboration, officials from the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) met with senior AAAS staff to learn about the publishing operations of the journal Science, with the goal of learning how to raise the international reputation of Chinese research publications. The delegation focused their 22 August visit on the manuscript submission system, editorial review boards, media outreach, and how the journal fits into the broad AAAS mission of communicating science to the public. The S&T relationship between AAAS and Chinese officials also includes last year’s six-day series of AAAS meetings in China and an upcoming workshop in Beijing on scientific ethics and responsibility co-sponsored by AAAS. Read more.

The AAAS International Office advances international cooperation, sustainable development, sustainability science, women’s collaboration, and human rights. Find out more about the program.

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Science Careers

Read the latest career features from Science Careers. You can also search jobs, get career advice, find grant information, and much more at www.sciencecareers.org --all for free.

Special Feature: Postdoc Survey Report
The 31 August issue of Science includes survey results from our annual Postdoc Survey. Learn about great communications strategies and mentoring tips for advisers and postdocs. Read more.

Special Feature: Make Way for the Next Generation -- Junior Faculty Are Moving In
Universities across the United States and Europe are increasingly reshaping recruitment policies in order to attract and retain more junior faculty. Replacing the old sink or swim attitude is a desire to provide a more supportive and nurturing environment. Driving the new trend are several factors, including a concern that many of today’s senior faculty are approaching retirement age and will need to be replaced, and a desire to have faculty that more closely reflect the gender and ethnic diversity of the population they serve. Read more.

Workshop: “Preparing for a Career in Science”
On 4 October, the AAAS Center for Careers will offer a workshop during the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 2-day seminar on “Bridging the Career Gap for Underrepresented Minority Scientists,” in Bethesda, Maryland. The purpose of the seminar is to allow for the exchange of science; to impart information on applying for research project grants; to acquaint attendees with the opportunities and options open to them in the field of biomedical research; and to provide an opportunity to meet with NIAID intramural and extramural staff members for the purpose of establishing mentors. The seminar is held every two years in the fall. Read more.

Special Event: Career Conference and Career Day
On 29-30 September, the AAAS Center for Careers and the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) will be teaming up to co-sponsor Science Careers Alley at the 3rd Annual National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Ally Student Career Conference and PRIDE Career Fair in Washington, D.C. The conference brings together recent graduates, current students, and representatives from America’s top organizations. Access conference details. http://outforwork.com

Workshop: “Preparing for the Future: Experiences in Leadership”
On October 11-14, the AAAS Center for Careers, the S&T Policy Fellowships Program, and Science Careers will offer a workshop during the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. The presentation will feature a panel representing AAAS Fellows who will discuss their progression into leadership positions. Participants will learn how AAAS fellowship and career resources can help students and scientists at all levels to gain leadership experience. Access conference details. http://www.sacnas.org

 

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Sponsored by:

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Announcements

US Federal Workers Can Support AAAS through the CFC
US government employees can select AAAS on the Combined Federal Campaign’s national/international list, supporting innovations in science, engineering, and technology to serve society globally. All donations go to the AAAS Fund for Excellence to assist AAAS in proactively addressing critical issues such as education, climate change, national security, science diplomacy, and scientific integrity. The contribution period is 1 September-15 December. Note the new AAAS CFC number 10134. Read more about the CFC and the Fund for Excellence.

Join the AAAS Arctic Division Annual Meeting
From 24 to 26 September, the 2007 Arctic Science Conference will convene in Anchorage, Alaska. Symposia and a gallery exhibition will focus on the theme, “Partnering for Northern Futures (Science, Policy, Education, Legacy) in the International Polar Year.” See meeting details and register online.

Attend the AAAS Caribbean Division Scientific Meeting
On 20 October, the Caribbean Division will commemorate its 21 st anniversary with a series of workshops and symposia at Universidad Interamericana, Bayamon, Puerto Rico. http://bc.inter.edu/aaas/default.htm

Attend the Abelson Advancing Science Seminar
On 30 October, the day-long 2007 Philip Hauge Abelson Advancing Science Seminar, "New Horizons in Polar Science," will be held at AAAS headquarters in Washington, D.C. The seminar, furthering Dr. Abelson’s vision to examine where science is going, will bring attention to new and exciting science in the polar regions that has broad implications for society in areas such as climate change, energy policy, and sustainability. For information, call (202) 326-8737 or e-mail abelson_seminar@aaas.org.
 
Register for the Public Information Officer Seminar
On 2 November EurekAlert!, the global source for the advance word of discoveries in science, medicine, and technology, will be hosting a seminar, "Communicating Health News Across the Media Spectrum." This event for public relations professionals will be held from 8 to11 am at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  A small panel of health reporters and editors from print, online, and broadcast news outlets will provide tips on how to communicate health research information to the media more effectively. Access information here or register online. AAAS members will receive a $10 discount.

AAAS and the ABA Examine Legal Aspects of Scientific Endeavors
AAAS is partnering with the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Science & Technology Law in examining the impact of law on scientists and engineers, and has assisted the Section in establishing a new Committee on the Rights and Responsibilities of Scientists. This committee serves as a primary advocacy resource for those interested in the legal representation, professional autonomy, and regulatory obligations of researchers, teachers, and practitioners in all areas of scientific endeavor. For more information, contact Eric Drogin at edrogin@bidmc.harvard.edu, or access the ABA website.

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About AAAS

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