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Advances - The Monthly Newsletter for AAAS Members - July 2009

In this issue:

Message to Members: Connecting AAAS Members Online

News to Note: Science Diplomacy London Conference, Nuclear Plant Safeguards, US Visas, Science Journalism, Promoting Diversity, Personalized Medicine, Science Education Standards, Coalition on Professional Integrity, Science and Title IX, Science Teacher Retention, AAAS's Green Building Certification

Advancing Science, Serving Society: Project 2061/ Shanghai Science Educators

Science Careers: Upcoming Events, Career Renewal Tips

Announcements: Summer Reading List for Kids, Annual Meeting Poster Deadlines, Donors Honor Physics Teacher, Awards Honor Two Science Writers, Science Translational Medicine Call for Papers, AAAS Awards Deadlines, Atlas of Science Literacy Workshops


Message to Members

Connecting AAAS Members Online

Dear AAAS Member,

As we advance international scientific cooperation, science policy and funding, and science education and careers, we also strive to advance the professional value of your AAAS membership.

To enhance our communication with you, and your communication with your fellow members, we have been building our presence on various online social media networks.

AAAS hosts groups and fan pages on Facebook that are freely accessible to both members and others who share an interest in science. AAAS staff members moderate lively discussions and answer a range of questions. Within the AAAS group, you'll find fan pages for many of our individual programs, such as the journal Science, Science Careers, ScienceNOW, EurekAlert!, and ENTRY POINT!.

LinkedIn, a professional network, creates a virtual rolodex for AAAS members around the globe, and provides a forum for discussion and job postings. A separate group connects current and former AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows.

Twitter facilitates quick updates, or text-based tweets for breaking news from Science and ScienceNOW, and live reports from events hosted by Science Careers.

Both AAAS and Science have channels on YouTube for the posting of selected association and research-related videos.

I invite you to find out more about these groups and to join your colleagues online. See the connections list below for direct links to the various groups.

An important aspect of the AAAS mission is to enhance communication and engagement among scientists, engineers, and the public. Thank you, as a member of AAAS, for your support of this effort.


Sincerely,


Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS


P.S. AAAS also offers a series of RSS feeds, a format for syndicating news and other content on websites. These feeds include breaking news, podcasts, and other content from AAAS and Science. For information, go to http://www.aaas.org/news/rss/.


AAAS/Science Online Connections

AAAS
The leading international general science society The Journal Science
The premier global science weekly
Science Careers
Comprehensive resource for career development and job postings Education and Human Resources
Advancing science education and science literacy Science & Technology Policy Fellows
Applying scientific expertise to US policy decision making ScienceNOW
Breaking news weekdays from the Science news staff EurekAlert!
The AAAS science news website for reporters


News to Note


London Conference Addresses New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy
Some 200 high-level scientists and science policy leaders from nearly two dozen countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South and North America, and Europe met for two days in June to discuss science diplomacy. The talks, hosted by the Royal Society and co-sponsored by AAAS, ranged from policy on security and economic development to resources and the environment of the Arctic with a single focus on the promise and pitfalls of science diplomacy and international scientific collaboration. The conference reflected a growing worldwide interest in employing more systematic science diplomacy with greater impact on urgent global challenges, and urged developed nations to help build capacity in developing nations.Read more about current initiatives, hidden risks, and future opportunities. 

AAAS Briefing: Nuclear Plant Safeguards Could Thwart Proliferation
Two nuclear weapons experts offered a sobering assessment of the impact of large nuclear power reactors on the spread of nuclear weapons at a recent Capitol Hill briefing co-sponsored by AAAS. Without strict and effective safeguards on reactor fuel and the plants that produce it, they said, there are no good ways to detect clandestine efforts to divert nuclear materials for weapons use. Read their advice

AAAS Joins Call to Expedite US Visas
A coalition of 31 science and higher education organizations led by AAAS is urging a series of steps that could lead to quicker and more reliable visa processing for visiting scientists, engineers, and scholars. The statement, which applauds the government's recent efforts to address visa delays, stresses that further steps must be taken to assure the smooth functioning of the global scientific enterprise and recommends the creation of an interagency panel to evaluate visa-related policy and practices put into effect after the 11 September 2001 terror attacks. Read more

The Gap Between the Public and Scientists
A new report by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that overwhelming majorities of Americans believe that science has had a positive effect on society and that science has made life easier for most people. The public -- even those skeptical of some scientific conclusions on such topics as climate change and evolution -- rates scientists highly and believes government investments in science pay off in the long term.But the study, conducted in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), also finds that the public has a far less positive view of the global standing of U.S. science than do scientists themselves. As the 40th anniversary of the moon landing approaches, just 17% say U.S. scientific achievements rate as the best in the world, compared with nearly half (49%) of scientists who hold that view. This broad-ranging report is based on three separate surveys. Read the full story and analysis

Panelists Debate the Future of Science Journalism
Some traditional newspapers are eliminating science sections and reducing science reporting, and others are disappearing altogether. Some speculate that Internet sources and blogs will become the new source of science news while others point out that universities, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations may start providing journalism-like resources. Five science journalists discussed the options for maintaining traditional standards of accuracy and balance in reporting on such critical issues as swine flu, climate change, and genetic engineering during a panel at the spring AAAS Forum on S&T Policy. Read more

AAAS Conference Explores Legal Ways to Promote Diversity
A spring conference organized by AAAS presented strategies for undergrad and graduate diversity programs that are both legally defensible and effective in expanding the participation of underrepresented students and faculty in the science and engineering fields. Since the 2003 US Supreme Court rulings that upheld a public university's policy to increase diversity in its law school, but ruled against diversity-related policy in undergrad admissions, colleges and universities have been learning how to navigate the legal minefield. The conference was part of a continuing AAAS effort that includes a guide to eight "design principles" first published the year after the rulings. Read more

AAAS Colloquium Cites Challenges of Personalized Medicine
The era of medicine custom-tailored to a patient's own genetic profile faces significant scientific and policy hurdles, according to a consensus of experts at a two-day colloquium at AAAS in June. While the decoding of the human genome in 2000 set the stage for sweeping changes in the practice of medicine, and the quest began for biomarkers, or molecular signposts for disease and response to drugs, the challenges have slowed progress. These include a complicated regulatory picture, insurance coverage, equitable access to tests, privacy, and physician and patient education on potential benefits and limits. Read about promising early developments and future potential. 

AAAS Commentary Urges Support for Consistent Science Education Standards
Citing the need to prepare students for the science- and technology-based 21st century, commentary published 10 June in the Houston Chronicle urges voluntary, nationwide education standards in science, along with reading and math. The commentary, written by AAAS CEO Alan I. Leshner, executive publisher of Science, and Jo Ellen Roseman, director of Project 2061, the AAAS science-literacy initiative, also asks Texas, Alaska, Missouri, and South Carolina to join the 46 other states and the District of Columbia who have agreed to move forward toward shared education standards in reading and math—and points to a proposal expected to be reintroduced soon in the US Senate that suggests an effective template for establishing national science education guidelines. Versions of the op-ed also appeared 23 June in Missouri's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 22 June in South Carolina's Greenville News, and 17 June in Alaska's Daily News-Miner of Fairbanks. Read the full commentary

AAAS Joins Coalition on Professional Integrity
AAAS has joined a diverse alliance of 19 professional associations and unions involved in science, engineering, health, and human services in a coalition of Professionals for the Public Interest. During the spring launch, a panel discussed the coalition's mission to defend against external pressures and undue influence that may challenge the integrity of scientific work for the public good. The coalition will work to improve the freedom of scientific exchange and policy makers' access to, and unbiased use of, scientific information. Read more about the coalition. 

Science, Along with Sports, Benefits from Title IX Law
Although Title IX, the law barring education discrimination based on sex, is best known for its support of women student athletes, its broad focus has helped women overcome obstacles in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. This was the consensus of a White House roundtable held 23 June to celebrate the 37th anniversary of the law. AAAS's Shirley Malcom, head of Education and Human Resources, joined US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and other leaders in applauding new grants to help high school girls improve proficiency in math and science while also urging financial and cultural support for postdoctoral women researchers. Read more

Inside the Practice Circle: Science Teacher Retention
During a mid-June salon-style event at AAAS, influential education writer Sheila Tobias discussed a recent study that revealed what motivates high school science teachers to stay in the classroom. The surprising results showed that recognition as professionals and autonomy in their classrooms were of higher value than salary increases. Rather than focusing solely on producing new teachers, Tobias urged emphasis on the neglected problem of retention. Download a new book of strategies to stem attrition, Science Teaching as a Profession, co-authored by Tobias. Read more about the "Inside the Practice Circle" series, which brings a skilled practitioner together with others who can apply the latest approaches, research, and techniques. 

AAAS Headquarters Earns Green Building Certification
AAAS Headquarters is the first building in Washington, D.C., to achieve gold-level certification under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system for existing buildings. Built in 1997, the structure was designed to help reduce environmentally harmful atmospheric emissions, increase energy efficiency, and promote good health and comfort for employees. In recent years, AAAS has arranged to meet 50 percent of its energy needs based on renewable resources; begun recycling nearly half of solid waste generated in the building; cut water consumption by 30 percent through retrofitted plumbing; and installed individual temperature controls. The AAAS building is believed to be one of the country's finest examples of green architecture—demonstrating the association's environmental leadership. Read more



Advancing Science, Serving Society

AAAS Project 2061

Shanghai Science Educators Detail Ambitious Plans
AAAS's Project 2061 hosted a delegation from the world's second largest city to share strategies on the development and evaluation of science curricula. During a two-day workshop, the project's staff made presentations on content standards, curricular coherence, instructional strategies, and assessment. Teachers and education administrators from Shanghai outlined their city's ambitious efforts to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education—including educational materials that integrate multimedia components, codevelopment of curricula with scientific organizations and societies, and participation in international education workshops. Much of their work is guided by Project 2061's tools and resources, many of which have been translated into Chinese. The visit was organized as part of a five-year memorandum of cooperation between the Shanghai Association for S&T and AAAS Project 2061, signed in September 2008. Read more.
 
Project 2061 was established in 1985 as a long-term AAAS initiative to reform K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. The project is named for the year that Halley's Comet will become visible to Earth again, reminding society of the importance of long-term reform for promoting scientific literacy through education. Read more about the project's pioneering initiatives. 


Science Careers


AAAS's online career job and advice site, Science Careers makes it easier to advance your career, whether you're seeking a new job, advice on career advancement in your chosen field, or ways to stay current on industry trends. Some of the features you'll find include:

- Thousands of searchable job postings
- Customized job e-mail alerts
- Easy resume/CV uploading
- Search by geography
- Multimedia section

Visit ScienceCareers.org today. Your future awaits.


Science Careers Offers Career Renewal Tips
A trio of online articles assesses key challenges facing mid-career faculty members and offers tips on how established scientists can renew and rejuvenate enthusiasm or redirect career paths. Access the articles: "Career Renewal for Established Scientists," "Rejuvenation Tips for Tenured Faculty," and "Revising Best Laid Plans." 


Upcoming Events

Information on the following events is available at
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/tools_tips/outreach/events
.

STEM Talent 2009: Postdoc Conference and Career Fair
Interviewing Skills, Careers Away From the Bench Panel Discussion
Wednesday, 22 July, Bethesda, Maryland

Joint Statistical Meeting Pre-Conference Workshop
Networking Strategically, Job Searching
Saturday, 1 August, Washington, DC

Science Careers Featured Jobs:


Head, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Research Assistant Professor in HIV/AIDS
George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC

Professorship
University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Erlanger, Germany

Announcements


Keep Kids Engaged with AAAS's Summer Science Reading List
Capture the interest of children ages 10 to 14 during summer vacation with AAAS's list of 10 intriguing true life stories and fun activity books. The list was composed by Heather Malcomson, editor of AAAS's Science Books & Films magazine, and is based on her experience reviewing for the magazine. Access the list. http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2009/0701summer_reading.shtml

Call for Posters for AAAS Student Competition: Deadline Wednesday, 14 October
The competition, to be held on Saturday, 20 February 2010 in San Diego at the AAAS Annual meeting,  is open to college undergraduate and graduate students only. Winners receive a cash prize, a framed certificate, and a one-year AAAS membership including a subscription to Science . The names of first-place winners and honorable mention entrants will be published in Science. For more information go to www.aaas.org/meetings .

Call for Submissions for the General Poster Session: Deadline
Wednesday, 14 October

This session offers an opportunity for doctoral candidates, postdocs, and professionals to present research to the broad community of scientists attending the 2010 AAAS Meeting in San Diego. The poster session will be held Sunday, February 21. For more information go to www.aaas.org/meetings .

Two AAAS Donors Honor Their Physics Teacher
In support of the AAAS Leadership in Science Education Prize, William Savage and Lyn Armbruster made a five-year pledge to honor their high school physics teacher, John Marean. Inspired and energized by his class to pursue a future in science and math, they proceeded to university and graduate school, married, and pursued careers in geosciences and math education. Marean, during his four-decade teaching career, believed that experimental and experiential learning were the keys to science education success, and helped create a new curriculum to advance student understanding of the physical world by developing relationships between experiment and theory. Read more

Two Science Writers Win Top Honors
Science correspondent Jon Cohen received the 2009 Excellence in Media Award by the Global Health Council for "HIV/AIDS: Money Matters," a special section in the 25 July 2008 issue of Science. Accompanied by a series of online videos and podcasts, the report investigated the successes and scandals of international HIV/AIDS funding in Uganda and Botswana, and analyzed HIV/AIDS research grants by the US National Institutes of Health. Science writer Yudhijit Bhattacharjee received the 2009 Media Award from Mental Health America for "Shell Shock Revisited: Solving the Puzzle of Blast Trauma," published 25 January 2008 in Science. The article examined new research that implicates the shock waves of a blast, rather than direct injury to the skull, in soldiers' symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury. The findings, he reported, could have a significant impact on how future soldiers are armed for battle and how returning veterans are compensated for disabilities. Read more

Science Translational Medicine Call for Papers
Scheduled to launch this fall, AAAS's newest journal integrates medicine and science, focusing on practical medical advances from all stages of translational medicine to bridge the research-to-application gap. The journal will facilitate communication and cooperation among physicians and scientists from all disciplines. Visit our website to review the call for papers and information for contributors, including topics to be considered for publication. To submit your papers, go to www.submit2scitranslmed.org/.

Nomination and Application Deadlines for 2009 AAAS Awards

AAAS Mentor Awards: 31 July
The AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award and the AAAS Mentor Award honor individuals who, during their careers, demonstrate extraordinary leadership to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the science and engineering Ph.D. work force. These groups include: women of all racial or ethnic groups; African American, Native American, and Hispanic men; and people with disabilities. For more information, contact Jessica Kunkler at (202) 326-6671, e-mail jkunkler@aaas.org.

GE & Science Prize for Young Life Scientists: 1 August
The US$25,000 prize is open to outstanding recent molecular biology Ph.D./M.D. degree recipients from all regions of the world. Entries must be postmarked by 1 August. Access eligibility rules, entry procedures, and forms.

AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards: 1 August
The AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards, endowed by The Kavli Foundation, represent the ultimate achievement in the field of science reporting. Prizes are awarded in eight categories: large and small newspapers, magazines, television spot news/feature reporting,television in-depth reporting, radio, online media outlets, and children's science news. More information.

AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science & Technology: 15 August
The AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology recognizes working scientists and engineers who make outstanding contributions to the "popularization of science." For more information contact Stacey Pasco at (202) 326-6645, e-mail spasco@aaas.org.

AAAS Philip Hauge Abelson Award: 1 September
The AAAS Philip Hauge Abelson Award honors a public servant for sustained exceptional contributions to advancing science or a scientist or engineer for a distinguished career of both scientific achievement and other notable services to the scientific community. More information.

AAAS Award for International Scientific Cooperation: 1 September
The AAAS Award for International Scientific Cooperation honors an individual or group for making extraordinary contributions to further international cooperation in science and engineering. For more information contact Linda Stroud at (202) 326-6659, e-mail lstroud@aaas.org.

AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility: 1 September
The AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility honors scientists, engineers, and their organizations whose exemplary actions,sometimes taken at significant personal cost, have served to foster scientific freedom and responsibility. For more information contact Deborah Runkle at (202) 326-6794, e-mail drunkle@aaas.org.

AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books: 1 September
The AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books, sponsored by Subaru, celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults. For more information contact Heather Malcomson at (202) 326-6646, e-mail hmalcoms@aaas.org.

Sign Up for 2009 Atlas of Science Literacy Workshops
Project 2061 continues a popular workshop for K-12 educators and adds an innovative new workshop for informal science education.
"Using Atlas of Science Literacy"
Designed for K-12 science teachers, curriculum specialists, and other educators and researchers, these workshops demonstrate how participants can use the conceptual strand maps in Atlas1 and Atlas 2, along with other Project 2061 resources, to enhance their own understanding of science literacy and take a benchmarks-based approach to helping all students achieve literacy in science, mathematics, and technology. Atlas of Science Literacy is co-published by AAAS and NSTA.
Madison,Wisconsin 22-24 June
Durham,North Carolina 14-16 September
Washington,D.C. 19-21 October
Scholarships and Early Bird rates are available, but registration is limited. For more details and a registration form, go to our workshop information page and check the Project2061 website for up-to-date information. If your institution would like to co-host a workshop, visit the website for details. To receive our free e-newsletter and automatic updates on workshops and other Project 2061 news, sign up here.

Join the AAAS President's Circle
The coming years represent a unique opportunity for science and the nation. To stay at the forefront of these opportunities, AAAS needs increased individual support. With philanthropic contributions totaling$500 or more, you will be recognized as part of the AAAS President's Circle and will join a select group that receives periodic briefings on key issues. Please visit us online or call +1 (202) 326-6636 for more information.



About AAAS


AAAS News &Notes appears in Science in the last issue of each month.
You can also read more about AAAS at www.aaas.org.
Science magazine is available at www.sciencemag.org.
Change your mailing address or other info at www.aaasmember.org

Invest in AAAS
Contributions from our members and friends are needed to support AAAS's mission to promote science in all forms. Visit us online to make a gift, or call +1 (202) 326-6636. With your support, we can continue to speak up for you -- and advance science for the benefit of society worldwide.

Member Benefit

Subaru VIP Partners Program
AAAS Members are eligible to purchase or lease new Subaru vehicles at a savings from $1,300 to $3,300 off the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)*, depending on the vehicle model and accessories selected. Before contacting a Subaru dealer, please contact the AAAS Member Services Office via e-mail at membership2@aaas.org or via telephone at 202-326-6417 to request your Dealer Visit Authorization Form which is required as verification of your eligibility.
*MSRP does not include tax, title, and registration fees.


Additional Meetings and Announcements

Next Generation Antibodies for Cancer Drugs
2 September, Geneva, Switzerland
In the life science industry, companies across the world are looking at targets to find innovative treatment regimes in the field of oncology. Antibodies hold the most promise to treat cancer due to their capabilities to activate the immune system. Our distinguished speaker panel will present the best strategies to successfully commercialize your scientific discoveries in a competitive business environment.

Symposium on Aging: Systems Biology of Aging, 10-13 November, Novato, California, USA

The American Society for Cell Biology 49th Annual Meeting, 5-9 December, San Diego, California, USA  

Advanced Biology Training Course in Antarctica, January 2010 (application due 1 August 2009), California, USA 

The 7th Okazaki Biology Conference, 11-14 January 2010 (register by 11 August 2009), Kakegawa, Japan


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