In this issue:

Message to Members: AAAS’s Expanding Global Leadership

News to Note: Annual Meeting Highlights, Cooperative Ties with Vietnam, Attacks on Researchers, School Board Training Materials, Threats to Diversity in Higher Ed

Advancing Science, Serving Society: AAAS Center for Public Engagement with S&T

Science Careers: Science Feature-Financing Research, New Job Search

Announcements: 2009 Annual Meeting Call for Symposium Proposals, New AAAS Officers, Forum on S&T Policy, Science Signaling Call for Papers

Message to Members

AAAS’s Expanding Global Leadership

Dear AAAS Member,

Your support, as a member of the world’s largest general scientific society, has helped to establish AAAS leadership in advancing science and scientific cooperation globally.

Our February Annual Meeting, "Science and Technology from a Global Perspective," drew leading scientists, engineers, educators, and policy makers from 56 countries. Plenary lectures exemplifying our expanding engagement with world leaders on S&T issues included David Baltimore’s Presidential Address and a special lecture given by His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda. Other plenary lectures covered such global concerns as science diplomacy, climate change, education, and health (see Highlights from the Annual Meeting, below).

A joint agreement with Vietnam, signed in late February, strengthens AAAS’s ties with that country in advancing science, technology, and innovation policy (see News item below). This new engagement complements collaboration with other nations, also illustrated by last year’s agreements with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to translate a set of articles from Science, as well as other initiatives.

We continue to expand our role as champion of international human rights, most recently using geospatial technologies to corroborate on-the-ground reports of attacks and destruction in Burma (Myanmar). These same technologies were used previously by our Science and Human Rights Program to document abuses in Zimbabwe and Darfur, Sudan. New efforts, just announced, will include monitoring the status of detention facilities and refugee camps in countries soon to be determined.

Leadership in international cooperation is key to advancing science to serve global society. Norman P. Neureiter, director of the AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Security Policy, has been selected to receive the US National Academy of Sciences’ highest award, its Public Welfare Medal, for spurring international cooperation in science and technology.

We thank each AAAS member for your continuing support in our expanding global effort.

Sincerely,


Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS

P.S. Please join me in welcoming Bruce Alberts, who assumed the helm of Science as the new editor-in-chief on 1 March, continuing a long tradition of outstanding science-citizens in this role. Read his profile in the 29 February issue of the journal.

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News to Note

Highlights from the AAAS Annual Meeting

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Presidential Address: Nobel Prize Winner David Baltimore Opens Meeting
Read more about the global theme of the Annual Meeting.
Download a Science Podcast interview with David Baltimore. (.mp3)
Watch a video of the lecture. NOTE: Videos require Real player.

Invited Address: Rwandan President H.E. Paul Kagame Committed to S&T Development
By the year 2012, Rwanda hopes to invest 5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in building S&T capacity--surpassing the US percentage of similar spending. The country’s president, His Excellency Paul Kagame, was optimistic about the power of S&T development to lift his country’s economic prospects in his address to the Annual Meeting.
Read a related article.
Listen to parts of this speech and a follow-up interview from Science Podcast.
Watch a video of the lecture.

Plenary Lectures
Climate Change Adaptation: The Next Great Challenge for the Developing World -- Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation. Climate scientists should shift their focus to adaptation, with the developed world assisting those in the developing world to adapt to deteriorating conditions.
Read a related article.
Watch a video of the lecture.

Making the World Flat: Science and Technology in the Developing World -- Nina Fedoroff, Special Adviser, Science and Technology, US Department of State. The world needs more science diplomats who can lend their expertise and passion to solving global problems of environmental degradation and poverty in developing nations, stated Fedoroff.
Read more.
Watch a video of the lecture.

One Laptop per Child -- Nicholas Negroponte, Founder, One Laptop per Child. Providing low-cost laptops to children in the developing world is the key to global knowledge, said Negroponte.Read more.
Watch a video of the lecture.

Plenary Panel: Global Health Challenges
The AIDS epidemic is far from over but a new phase of the fight can contribute to healthier communities around the world if handled properly, a panel of experts said during the Annual Meeting’s final plenary session.
Read more.
Watch a video of the panel.

US Presidential Campaign Forum: Science and Technology – Senior Advisers Speak About Views of Obama and Clinton
Science and technology advisers to the presidential primary campaigns of Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton outlined their candidate’s plans and took questions from an audience at the Annual Meeting. Advisers from the Republican campaigns also were invited but did not attend. Read more about differences among the Democratic primary opponents, the current administration, and their Republican challenger, in the areas of research investment, competitiveness, the scientific integrity of federal agencies, nuclear energy, and space policy. Inform yourself of the candidate’s views on S&T issues at the AAAS 2008 Presidential Election website. Urge the candidates to join Science Debate 2008. www.ScienceDebate2008.com

Town Hall Forum: Global Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is a twin epidemic of poor nutrition and diminished physical activity, driven by powerful economic and cultural forces, according to researchers at a special forum during the Annual Meeting. Read how schools, families, and communities need to come together to help children around the globe battle these pervasive forces.
Access free resources for K-12 professionals.
Watch videos of the various speakers at this event.

View Photos from the AAAS 2008 Annual Meeting
Find yourself and your colleagues in this collection of photos from various events.
Photo Credit: Colellaphoto.com for AAAS

Order audio recordings from the AAAS 2008 Annual Meeting
Select from a collection of plenary and topical lectures, symposia, and other events.

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AAAS Expands Cooperative Ties with Vietnam
On 27 February, AAAS further expanded the cooperative ties with Vietnam that began in 2006 with exchange visits of delegations between Washington, D.C. and Hanoi. By signing the new memorandum of understanding with the leading Vietnamese S&T policy think tank, the National Institute for S&T Policy and Strategy Studies, AAAS Chief International Officer Vaughan Turekian formalized plans to "collaborate in the advancement of science, technology, and innovation policy studies" and to pursue joint activities. Read more about the discussions, attended by science officials from both nations, and plans for an innovation symposium this fall.

AAAS Again Decries Researcher Attacks
In response to a new attack, reportedly by animal rights extremists, AAAS reaffirmed a 29 November 2007 statement by the Board of Directors decrying such intimidation of scientists who responsibly use animals for research. For the second time in four months, an incendiary device was placed against the front door of a California professor and researcher. Read more about the AAAS position and see the full statement.

AAAS/NSBA Unveil School Board Training Materials
New training materials, created to help state-level school boards train local school boards to improve math, science, and technology education, were unveiled recently by AAAS and the National School Boards Association (NSBA). The free training module includes a facilitator’s guide, a participant’s manual, and an audiovisual presentation on a single CD-Rom. A related website is scheduled to launch in May. Read more about this historic three-year AAAS/NSBA collaboration.

AAAS/NACME Forum Sees Legal Threats to Diversity in Higher Ed
A roundtable of experts from the academic, nonprofit, and business communities recently discussed the US court decisions that are limiting efforts to recruit underrepresented minority students and to reverse the steady erosion of these students in major university STEM programs. Read more about the roundtable’s approach to developing specific initiatives that are thoughtful and defensible under strict legal standards, discussed during the event co-sponsored by AAAS and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering.

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Advancing Science, Serving Society

AAAS Center for Public Engagement with S&T Launches Communicating Science Website
Key spokespeople for public communication and engagement with science are the scientists and engineers who are in the best position to foster information-sharing and understanding. Yet scientific training typically does not prepare scientists and engineers to be effective communicators outside academia. In response to the need to communicate more broadly with the public, AAAS and the National Science Foundation have developed a partnership to provide tools and resources both online and, now in development, through in-person workshops. Go to the website and access online webinars, how-to tips for media interviews, strategies for pubic outreach, and more. 

The AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology moves beyond traditional public understanding efforts toward more comprehensive public-dialogue opportunities. This dialogue is framed to respect the public’s perceptions and concerns about such issues as embryonic stem cell research, global climate-change research, and the teaching of evolution. AAAS brings science to the public by working with schools, broadcast outlets including the Internet, and numerous publications. Find out more about the center.

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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 on www.sciencecareers.org - all for free.

Science Special Feature: Business Financing for Your Research
The 14 March issue of Science features two articles focusing on industry support for academic research. "Playing Well with Industry" describes the experience of conducting research for companies, and the guidance academics gained from the experience, including intellectual property issues, publication rights, impact on career advancement, and academic freedom. "Finding Industry Funding" tells about the ways companies engage academic researchers, including new open-innovation methods. The feature describes how business support for academic research fits into the overall funding picture, including trends over the past several years. Read more.

Science Careers Announces New Job Search Technology
This innovative new technology offers a host of exciting benefits as you conduct your scientific job search, including:
*Faster access to relevant jobs
*Hassle-free uploading and improved presentation of your resume/CV
*Control over how employers find your profile through key search words
*Convenient delivery of new opportunities right to your desktop
Go to ScienceCareers.org and start your job search today.

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Announcements

Welcome the New AAAS Board Members and Section Officers
During the Annual Meeting, two new members of the AAAS Board of Directors and new officers for 24 AAAS Sections began their terms. See the full list.

     AAAS Board of Directors: 2008-2009
     Chair --  David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology
     President --   James J. McCarthy, Harvard University
     President-Elect --  Peter C. Agre, Johns Hopkins University
     Treasurer --  David E. Shaw, D.E. Shaw & Co., Inc.
     AAAS CEO --   Alan I. Leshner
     Newly-Elected Additional Members --  Nancy Knowlton,
          Smithsonian Institution, and  Thomas A. Woolsey,
          Washington University Medical School

Submit a Symposium Proposal for the 2009 AAAS Annual Meeting
"Our Planet and Its Life: Origins and Futures" is the theme for the next Annual Meeting, 12-16 February 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The deadline for symposium proposals is 28 April. Access a full description of the theme and proposal instructions.

Register for the Annual AAAS Forum on S&T Policy
On 8-9 May, the AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program will host the major annual US public meeting on S&T policy in Washington, DC. The forum will focus on what is likely to happen in the coming year on the federal budget and the policy issues that affect researchers and their institutions. Space is limited. Read more about the program and register here.

Nominate High School Teachers for the AAAS Leadership Prize: Deadline Extended to 4 April
US high school science department chairs and administrators are urged to nominate qualified science teachers to receive the 2008 AAAS Leadership in Science Education Prize for High School Science Teachers, established through generous support from AAAS member Edith D. Neimark. This award recognizes a high school science 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. Read prize details and to access the nomination and application forms. For more information, contact Lester Matlock at lmatlock@aaas.org.

Sign up for Science E-mail Alerts to be Entered to Win an iPod
If on 30 April you are subscribed to one of our e-mail alerts, you’ll automatically be entered in our drawing for one of TEN 4Gb video iPod Nanos. Follow these easy steps to sign up for an e-mail alert.
Check the winners from the 30 November 2007 drawing.

Submit Papers to Science Signaling Starting 14 April
Formerly known as Science’s STKE, Science Signaling is adding original research beginning in September. Each week, leading-edge findings will be published in addition to current features. Researchers are invited to submit papers that provide new concepts and new understanding of biological signal transduction for publication consideration. Access full details.

Join the BayBio2008 Conference, 17 April
The one-day conference, in South San Francisco, California, will focus on Northern California’s strength in life sciences product development and commercialization. Attendees will network with industry peers, gain insights and practical skills, engage in track discussions, and learn from industry leaders. AAAS members receive up to a $200 discount off the regular non-member rate. To receive this discount, AAAS members should register at "Supporter" level & indicate "AAAS" affiliation in the drop-down menu. Information and registration.

Applications Now Open for Two Prizes from Science
Science and its partners, Eppendorf and GE, are offering scientists two opportunities to win prizes worth US$25,000. The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology is awarded to researchers in neurobiology who hold an advanced degree and are age 35 or younger. Entries must be postmarked by 15 June. Full details for the Eppendorf & Science Prize. The GE and Science Prize for Young Life Scientists rewards research in molecular biology by outstanding graduate students. Full details for the GE and Science Prize.  Deadline not yet announced.

Attend the UK’s Cambridge Science Festival, 19 March
The Cambridge Science Festival, at Cripps Court, Magdalene College, Chesterton Road, Cambridge, will focus on S&T in international development. Speakers include Sir David King and Peter Head whose organization, Arup, is working on Dongtan Zero Carbon City in China. Tim Radford, a former science reporter for The Guardian, is the chair. More information.

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About AAAS

AAAS News & Notes appears in Science in the last issue of each month.
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