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| Advances - The Monthly Newsletter for AAAS Members - October 2009 | |
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In this issue: Message to Members: Integrating Medicine and Science News to Note: Nobel Prizes Honor AAAS Members, R&D FY 2010 Budget Report, Translational Medicine Briefing, Climate Teaching Materials, Pacific Division Meeting Reports Advancing Science, Serving Society: Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program Science Careers: Upcoming Events Announcements: 2010 AAAS S&T Policy Fellowships, AAAS Annual Election, Personalized Medicine Colloquium, Gene Sequence Webinar, AAAS President's Circle, Combined Federal Campaign, 2010 Annual Meeting, October Film Festival, Project 2061 Workshop Sponsored By: Harvard Business School Executive Education
 Integrating Medicine and Science As a member of AAAS, you're helping to promote improved human health by supporting venues for communication and cross-fertilization among basic, translational, and clinical research practitioners and trainees. One such venue is our new interdisciplinary journal, Science Translational Medicine, which launched 7 October. Translational medicine is the practice of integrating and synthesizing knowledge from the diverse communities dedicated to the application of basic science to advances in clinical medicine. Its ultimate goal is to enhance the human condition and it is often described as bringing scientific knowledge "from bench to bedside," and back. The contents of Science Translational Medicine include original, peer-reviewed research; perspectives and reviews of new findings; and informed commentary on policy, funding, and regulatory issues. It will be published weekly online, and a compilation of selected articles will also be available in a monthly printed edition. Chief Scientific Adviser Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., former director of the US National Institutes of Health, Editor Katrina L. Kelner, and an advisory board of physician scientists and other experts form the editorial team for this journal in support of creative experimental approaches, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative ways of conducting explorations at the interfaces of established and emerging disciplines. See: www.sciencetranslationalmedicine.org Another complementary AAAS effort, also in support of scientists, engineers, and clinical researchers, but with emphasis on those in training is CTSciNet- the Clinical and Translational Scientist Network. This venue, a new online community, fosters communication and collaboration across relevant translational disciplines and scientific sectors, advancing careers at every level while expanding clinical and translational research capability. Sincerely,  Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS P.S. On 20 October, AAAS, Science, and Science Careers also introduced MySciNet - a community space for scientists and students from diverse backgrounds to network and build the personal and professional connections needed to succeed in the sciences.  2009 Nobel Prizes Honor AAAS Members,
Science Authors Four AAAS members have been awarded Nobel Prizes in the sciences. - In Chemistry, AAAS member Thomas Steitz, a professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University shared the prize for studies that revealed the atomic structure of the ribosome, the cell's protein factory. His team's other winners, Ada E. Yonath of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan of the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England, published two papers in Science on 11 August 2000 that were at the heart of the Nobel Prize-winning research. - In Physiology or Medicine, AAAS members Elizabeth Blackburn of the University of California, San Francisco; Carol Greider of the John Hopkins University School of Medicine; and Jack Szostak of the Massachusetts General Hospital were honored for their work on telomeres, the ends of chromosomes, and the enzyme called telomerase that forms them. These studies "have shed light on disease mechanisms and stimulated the development of potential new therapies," according to the Nobel press release. Read more. AAAS Releases Report on US R&D Budget for FY 2010 Since 1976, AAAS has published a comprehensive annual analysis of R&D in the president's proposed federal budget, making timely and objective information available to the science and engineering communities and to policy makers. AAAS Report XXXIV: Research & Development FY 2010 includes the political context of budget proposals; analysis of major funding trends; analysis of funding for research by theme, major agency, and discipline; and nearly 40 tables. The full text of the 273-page report from the AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program is available online in PDF format and hard copies may be ordered. Capitol Hill Briefing Covers Translational Medicine AAAS CEO Alan I. Leshner joined translational medicine proponents at a September briefing on Capitol Hill, organized by the Council for American Medical Innovation. Leshner defined translational medicine as "the bi-directional process of moving basic research, ultimately, into clinical application." He added that the new AAAS journal, Science Translational Medicine, will help speed medical advances by fostering better communication among academic and industry researchers as well as physicians. The briefing also covered strategic incentives to promote translational advances, including education initiatives such as a post-doctoral fellows program. Read more and watch a video of the briefing. Project 2061 to Develop Climate Teaching Materials The AAAS science literacy initiative, Project 2061, has received new funding grants from NASA and NOAA to develop and test a climate-related, middle-grade teaching resource. Over three years, a team of experts in climate science and middle-school science teaching will use data collected by NASA and NOAA on global observations of oceans, atmosphere, land surface, and the biosphere to produce teaching tools aligned with science education standards. When completed, the materials will be freely available online. Read more. AAAS Pacific Division Meeting Focuses on "Sustainability in an Evolving World" The oldest of AAAS's four regional divisions, established in 1915, held its 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, in August. Following are two reports from a diverse selection of symposia and workshops.  Mounting Perils for San Francisco Bay
During a day-long symposium, a dozen top scientists presented their latest research about the health of the biggest estuary on the Pacific Coast. Challenges that imperil the bay include contaminants and invasive species -- but some experts said the overarching challenge may be the Earth's changing climate, which could raise bay waters to a level that would inundate low-lying developed areas, damage or submerge protective tidal marshes, and force massive expenditures for protective levees. One participant called for science "to identify primary threats to the sustainable delivery of goods and services -- and to provide the insight to enable optimal decisions for the bay ecosystem." Another stressed that the bay still offers major restoration opportunities and said that those seeking to restore the bay's health must nurture its vast natural resilience. Read more and access additional materials. 
Asteroids an Inevitable Threat to Earth, Astronauts Say
The meeting's broad range of issues included the Earth's vulnerability to a future asteroid that, even with a modest size of 100 meters across, could destroy a major city. During a half-day symposium, "Near-Earth Objects: A Threat and Response Update," two former US astronauts said that, while the short-term odds remain in Earth's favor, a new generation of telescopes may reveal additional threats from near-earth objects (NEOs), and a long-term protective effort is critical. The speakers noted that the United States is the only nation with an active, government-sponsored initiative to track NEOs, but added that the effort needs to go beyond merely tracking to planning how to deflect a threatening asteroid—and this calls for cooperation among the nations of the world and their scientists. Read more and access additional resources.
AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program
Communicating Science via the Media A graduate student working in applied mathematics research spent the summer filing science stories for Voice of America (VOA). A recent master's degree graduate in environmental management addressed reader science queries in articles and blog entries for the Orange County (California) Register. They were among 12 scientist-reporters who spoke about their summer fellowship experiences during a wrap-up event at AAAS. The competitive program allows scientists, engineers, and mathematics students to use their academic and research skills to write about science for nontechnical audiences, as they sharpen their communications skills as working scientists. The program also placed Fellows at other newspaper, radio, and magazine outlets across the United States, including National Public Radio, the Sacramento Bee, the Chicago Tribune, Scientific American, the Los Angeles Times, and the Oregonian. Read more. For the past 35 years, AAAS has collaborated with various sponsoring organizations to place graduate and post-graduate level scholars in a 10-week summer program that recognizes the responsibility of effective science communication to increase public understanding of S&T issues. The deadline to apply for the 2010 class of AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows is 15 January. Access the application. Science Careers, published by AAAS, offers the extensive resources you need 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, you'll find helpful tools on the site. Thousands of searchable jobs from industry, academia, and government are available as well as Job Alert e-mails, Career Advice, a Resume/CV Database, and more. Visit ScienceCareers.org today. Your future awaits. Upcoming Events Careers Away From the Bench Penn State College of Medicine Career Day Monday, 19 October, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA How to Publish in Science Monday, 19 October, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, USA Careers Away From the Bench Tuesday, 20 October, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, USA HBCU-UP National Research Conference Thursday 29 October-Sunday 1 November, Washington, D.C., USA Career workshops included. Resumes, Interviewing, and the Job Search American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America Meeting Monday, 2 November, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Karolinska Institute Career Day Friday, 6 November, Stockholm, Sweden Fulbright Science and Technology Enrichment Seminar Career and Professional Development Program Friday, 13 November-Sunday, 15 November, Chicago Illinois, USA The Problem Solvers: Education and Career Paths of Engineers with Disabilities Sunday, 13 December-Tuesday, 15 December, Washington, D.C., USA Science Careers Featured Jobs:Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA Strategic Scientist Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO Professorship in Molecular Pharmacology Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, Germany Enhance Your Science, Serve Society: Apply for a 2010 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship For 36 years, the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships have provided scientists and engineers with a unique opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to national and international issues in the federal policy realm, while learning first-hand how to craft policy in Congress and implement policy in more than 15 federal agencies. AAAS seeks candidates from a broad array of disciplines, ethnicities, and disability statuses. Fellows represent a spectrum of career stages, from recent Ph.D. graduates, to faculty on sabbatical, to retired scientists and engineers. Fellows also come from a range of sectors, including academia, industry, nonprofit organizations, and government labs. Full details at www.fellowships.aaas.org AAAS accepts online applications only. Deadline: 15 December, 2009. AAAS Annual Election: Preliminary Announcement The 2009 AAAS election of general and section officers will be held in November. All members will receive a ballot for election of the president-elect, members of the Board of Directors, and members of the Committee on Nominations. Members registered in more than one section will receive ballots for elections for each section. More info.  Colloquium on "Personalized Medicine in an Era of Health
Care Reform"
On 26-27 October, the AAAS Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law Program, in partnership with the Food and Drug Law Institute, is holding a colloquium at AAAS that will examine personalized medicine from a number of viewpoints. Dr. Francis Collins, NIH director, will discuss how NIH is implementing the personalized medicine vision, and a representative from the administration will discuss how the government views personalized medicine as a key component of health care reform. Other sessions will discuss the use of health IT in research and clinical care, as well as ethical and legal challenges associated with electronic health records, comparative effectiveness research, and clinical progress in applying personalized medicine methods. This colloquium is the second in a series of three. More info. Science/AAAS Webinar: From Genes to Proteins Wednesday, 28 October at noon ET (9 am PT, 4 pm GMT) During the webinar, viewers will: * obtain an overview of the current state of research in this field * gain insight into the range of cellular processes affected by variations in gene sequence * learn about the importance of optimizing gene sequences for numerous research applications * have questions answered live by the panel of experts! Register today. Produced by the Science/AAAS Business Office. Join the AAAS President's Circle Improving the quality of life around the world and responding to global challenges requires innovative solutions that are rooted in solid science and technology. AAAS needs your help to ensure that the science community is engaged in exploring these solutions. You can seize this opportunity by joining the President's Circle today with a philanthropic contribution of $500 or more. You will receive updates about our activities and invitations to AAAS events. Visit us online or call +1 (202) 326-6636 for more information. 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 around the world. Your donation through CFC helps to enhance science education, infuse policy issues like climate change with sound science, ensure national security, improve international relations, promote scientific integrity, and much more. The campaign runs from 1 September to 15 December. AAAS's CFC number is 10134.
AAAS, Science in Partnership with NYC Film Festival, 15-24 October Selected short films present fascinating and entertaining science concepts at theaters, exhibit spaces, and education centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, New York. AAAS/ Science is the presenting sponsor of the nonprofit Imagine Science Film Festival in a continuing effort to encourage public engagement. Check the schedule. Sign Up for the Final 2009 Atlas of Science Literacy Workshop 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 " 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. 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, http://www.aaas.org/aboutaaas/giving/types/designate.shtml, 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. How to Subscribe to Advances If a friend has sent you this e-mail, and you would like to start receiving your own copy each month, you must first become a AAAS member. How to Get Off This Mailing List Use the "preferences" link at the bottom of this email. |
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