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| Advances - The Monthly Newsletter for AAAS Members - November 2009 | |
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In this issue: Message to Members: 2010 Annual Meeting -- Bridging Science and Society News to Note: First US Science Envoys, AAAS Barnard Lecture, Climate Change Consensus Letter, AAAS-EC Joint Projects, AAAS-Hitachi Lecture, "Communicating Science" Program, Mentorship Workshop, Eppendorf/Science Prize Winner, New Online Networks, Pacific Division Meeting Report, Personalized Medicine Colloquia, Skin Deep Project, Guidelines for Ground-Based Lasers, Doctor's Role in Health Care Reform, GonzoLabs Blog Advancing Science, Serving Society: New Director, AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy Science Careers: New Career Trends Booklet, Upcoming Events Announcements: S&T Policy Fellowships, Mass Media Fellowships, Minority Science Writers Internships, Call for Papers Science Translational Medicine, Science/AAAS Special Holiday Offer, AAAS President's Circle, Combined Federal Campaign Sponsored By: CTSciNet, Clinical and Translational Science Network
 2010 Annual Meeting -- Bridging Science and Society Dear Colleagues, An international gathering of scientists, engineers, policy makers, and educators from the United States and more than 50 other countries will convene 18-22 February in San Diego, California, to advance the science and technology endeavors that profoundly affect the well-being of global society. One of the world's most recognized interdisciplinary scientific events, the AAAS Annual Meeting will focus on Bridging Science and Society, calling on the scientific community to not only strive to discover viable solutions to complex problems, but also to increase public knowledge and understanding of scientific principles and process. Outstanding plenary and topical speakers, three specialty seminars, and 147 symposia across 13 tracks will present the latest scientific thinking and developments in energy and the environment, science policy and economics, public health and medicine, education and public communication, and other issues of global concern. The broad range of activities, which will be covered by members of the national and international media, also includes student poster sessions, special sessions for science educators, career development workshops, and the Meet the Scientists series at Family Science Days. The AAAS Annual Meeting is the culmination of extensive efforts from the AAAS sections, divisions, and committees, and the members of the Scientific Program Committee, which we gratefully acknowledge. You are invited to join thousands of your peers from around the world in "Bridging Science and Society." I look forward to seeing you in San Diego. Sincerely, Dr. Peter Agre, AAAS President and Director, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health P.S. You can review the complete 2010 Annual Meeting program, develop your personal itinerary, and register at www.aaas.org/meetings.  Bridging Science and Society: New Plenary Speakers at the AAAS Annual Meeting AAAS is pleased to announce two additions to the list of plenary speakers for the San Diego meeting: world-renowned geophysicist Marcia McNutt, newly appointed head of the US Geological Survey; and Carol Greider, a pioneering molecular biologist at Johns Hopkins University who recently received the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Special AAAS Membership/Annual Meeting Offer Are some of your colleagues not yet members of AAAS? If they register in advance for the 2010 Annual Meeting, they will receive a one-year membership to AAAS for free, along with all member benefits including a one-year subscription to the journal Science, access to Science and all of its archives online, and access to Science Express. International members will receive Science Digital. Tell your colleagues. This offer is good for advance registration only, and expires 28 January. Only nonmembers qualify. Explore the program and register at www.aaas.org/meetings. Follow us on Twitter and use hashtag "#AAAS10" to search for posts about the meeting. Join the AAAS Facebook group for more updates about AAAS and the Annual Meeting. Bruce Alberts, Elias Zerhouni, Ahmed Zewail Named First US Science Envoys Plans for Collaborative Efforts on S&T Issues
AAAS-Hitachi Lecture Sketches Path to Low Carbon Future Under an agreement signed in late October in Brussels, Belgium, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and AAAS will pursue collaborative efforts on a range of issues to advance science and technology. The initial focus of the collaborations will be combating illicit traffic in nuclear materials and other nuclear safety issues, as work progresses to build a world scientific partnership. The signing follows months of discussions between the two organizations, defining the global challenges that require global cooperation. Read more about proposed international nuclear security efforts and other discussions between AAAS officials and the JRC. Brussels Address by CEO Alan I. Leshner Before the signing at EU headquarters, Leshner delivered the inaugural address of a new Joint Research Centre annual series, marking the 50th anniversary of the EC's JRC at Ispra, Italy. The address stressed that the United States and Europe share "an obligation to help build scientific capacity in the developing world," to advance solutions to climate change and infectious diseases, as well as to develop consistent standards on education, research, and ethics. Leshner also called for a more efficient US-Europe research enterprise, and expanded collaborations to include energy, technology and manufacturing jobs, and response to natural disasters, as well as terrorism and security. Read more and watch an archived video of the event. While technology holds great promise in reducing reliance on carbon-based fuels, political and economic innovations may be in short supply, according to MIT's Ernest Moniz. The energy specialist delivered the second annual AAAS-Hitachi Lecture on Science and Society in mid October. Moniz stressed the need for multiple technology pathways, including pursuit of carbon-free electricity and renewable energy sources. He also cited alternative transportation fuels, improved electric power grids, and the importance of natural gas—and, failing to achieve policy, business, and technology innovation rapidly enough, short-term geoengineering intervention. "We're going to need a lot of progress on the technology innovation side…get the costs down and that will make the policy makers a lot more courageous," said Moniz. Read more. "Communicating Science" Program Expands Reach The public engagement program was developed to help scientists and engineers communicate scientific findings beyond academia. Launched in 2008 and supported by AAAS, the National Science Foundation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Communicating Science" has served 658 researchers through 10 workshops, two webinars, and a related multimedia website. The researchers are facilitating a dialogue on key issues among the public, the news media, and policy makers, while they also fill funding agency requirements that include education and public outreach. Read more about the program and access the multimedia page to find out about 2010 workshops. NSF and AAAS Sponsor Mentoring Workshop for Women Scientists Whether mentoring is a long-term, formalized relationship or a brief, informal exchange of valuable advice, seasoned professionals agree that either can help advance a career. The October workshop, originally planned for 40 participants and expanded to accommodate 60, clearly tapped a need for broader mentoring opportunities. Attendees from universities, companies, government agencies, and other research institutes began with a speed-networking exercise to illustrate that mentoring is a web of relationships. A second day featured small discussion groups covering issues such as how to take on different jobs within an organization or get ideas recognized. Read more about the workshop, hosted by the AAAS Center for Advancing Science & Engineering Capacity and funded by a National Science Foundation grant. Researcher Richard Benton Wins Eppendorf/Science Prize for Neurobiology Richard Benton's research on the molecular mechanisms of odor detection in insects was awarded the 2009 grand prize in the international competition for The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology. The assistant professor at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland said that the results "could have many applications beyond the lab, for example, in controlling the odor-evoking behaviors of insects that transmit human diseases, such as the mosquito vector of malaria." Read more about the winning 1,000-word essay, published 16 October in Science, and the other finalists for the prize that recognizes outstanding neurobiological research by early-career scientists.  AAAS Launches Online Networks for Clinical and Minority Scientists On 20 October, AAAS, Science Careers, and Science launched two online networking sites -- one to support scientists working on cutting-edge medical therapies and the other to help minority scientists navigate career paths. CTSciNet - Clinical and Translational Science Network focuses on scientists, engineers, and clinical researchers, with emphasis on those in training, to foster communication and collaboration to speed the translation of scientific breakthroughs into real world therapies. Users can join discussion groups on clinical trials, entrepreneurship, ontology, bioinformatics, and other relevant topics.
MySciNet - An Inclusive Community is a professional network of scientists and students of diverse backgrounds such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, military service, and economic circumstances. Participants can join discussion groups on education and jobs, research opportunities, and strategies for overcoming obstacles, as well as learn about employers committed to an inclusive work force. Read more and access the networks. AAAS Pacific Division Meeting Explores Making Sustainability Mainstream
  Libraries Receive AAAS Grants for Skin Health Projects The AAAS Skin Deep Project, funded by Neutrogena, has awarded small grants to 13 public libraries in the United States and Canada. The libraries are scheduling community outreach events to increase public awareness of the physiology and function of skin and best practices for its care. The libraries also will receive copies of The Science Inside Skin, the newest book in the AAAS Science Inside series. The Skin Deep Project includes classroom resources for middle and high school grades. Read more about the events and the libraries, and download the PDF version of the new book. Experts Call for Stricter Guidelines on Ground-Based Lasers In fall 2006, the US military reported that Chinese lasers appeared to cause a "sudden decline" in the effectiveness of several US spy satellites in orbit over China. Initial fears that China had intentionally aimed ground-based lasers to disrupt or materially damage the satellites were eventually dispelled. But experts at a briefing in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored by AAAS and the Center for Media and Security, cautioned that the case does raise concerns about protecting satellites in orbit. Read more about a call to develop strategies to mitigate potential threats against the estimated 900 active satellites in orbit, of which about 430 are owned by the United States.  AAAS Seminar Examines Doctor's Role in Health Care Reform Stanley Joel Reiser, a leading specialist in health policy and medical technology and author of "Technological Medicine: The Changing World of Doctors and Patients," called for health reform to proceed on two fronts. While the US Congress crafts policies to make the existing system work better for all Americans, medical professionals who often "treat the disease fully and the patient partially" should adopt an alternative practice that considers illness as an interaction between patients and their living and working environments. Dr. Reiser stated that the social and humanistic sides of medicine are struggling against the rise of costly technological medicine. Read more about the October seminar, co-sponsored by AAAS and the Chemical Heritage Foundation.  Science Columnist Launches GonzoLabs Blog Science's John Bohannon describes his new blog as a "virtual research institute" that tracks the latest experiments at the intersection of art, science, and culture. One example of this intersection is the recent Imagine Science Film Festival, a week-long public showing of short, cutting-edge films with AAAS and Science as presenting sponsors. Access the blog and read an interview with festival promoter Alexis Gambis, a cancer genetics researcher who went from fruit flies to film while finishing his Ph.D.
AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy
Former White House Science and Security Analyst Becomes CSTSP Director Physicist Gerald Epstein, a leading expert in both nuclear and biological security analysis and policy issues, has been named director of the AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy. Epstein previously served with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Institute for Defense Analyses, and the Congressional Office of Technology Assistance. He succeeds another distinguished security expert, Norman Neureiter, who will continue as senior adviser to this center and to the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy. AAAS's CSTSP is funded by the MacArthur Foundation and is guided by the overarching goal of advancing the integration of science and public policy for national and international security. The center provides a communications portal to link academic communities and policy institutes with policy makers, and hosts Capitol Hill briefings to speed the delivery of balanced technical analysis to Congress, executive branch agencies, and the public. Read more about the Center. 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. Download the Newest Career Trends Booklet The Informed Job Search: Advice for Scientists To help you polish the critical skills you need to secure a competitive job in academia, industry, or government, Science Careers is offering a new booklet of career advice and tips. Content includes choosing a career path, effective networking, getting the most from a career fair, marketing yourself to potential employers, and acing your job interview. Read more and access the booklet. Upcoming Events Careers Away From the Bench University of Maryland Postdocs Tuesday, 1 December, College Park, Maryland, USA Workshops at the ASCB Meeting San Diego, California, USA Job Search Essentials Sunday, 6 December, 6:15-8:15 pm How to Publish in Science Monday, 7 December, 6:15-8:15 pm Creative Job Searching USC Keck Postdoctoral Association Wednesday, 9 December, Los Angeles, California, USA Science Careers Featured Jobs:Assistant/Associate Professor in Auditory or Vestibular Neuroscience Children's Hospital Boston Boston, MA Translational Genetics Faculty University of Washington Deptartment of Medicine Seattle, WA Metabolomics Scientist in Nutrition Nestle Research Center Lausanne, Switzerland New Option to Cast Your Ballot Online for the AAAS Elections In response to member requests, AAAS will be offering the opportunity to vote either by mail or via a web balloting system in this year's upcoming election. It is hoped that this online option will provide us with the opportunity for better communications with the members during the election via reminder emails as well as making it more convenient for you to cast your ballot. Detailed instructions for using the online option will be provided to all members. AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships: Apply by 15 December Scientists and engineers have 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. AAAS accepts online applications only. Full details at www.fellowships.aaas.org AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowships: Apply by 15 January Graduate and postgraduate level scholars can hone their own communications skills while increasing public understanding of S&T issues by working as science reporters at major US media companies. The 10-week summer program has included paid placements at National Public Radio, the Chicago Tribune, Scientific American, and the Los Angeles Times. Find out more and access the application for the 2010 class. AAAS Minority Science Writers Internships: Apply by 1 March The Journal Science invites minority undergraduate students with a serious interest in science writing to apply for 10-week paid summer internships in Washington, D.C. The interns experience first-hand the process of covering the S&T issues that shape our global economy, under the guidance of award-winning reporters and editors. Find out more and access the application for the 2010 class. Call for Papers for Science Translational Medicine The new journal from AAAS and Science examines the intersection of basic research and clinical medicine. Headed by Chief Scientific Adviser Elias A. Zerhouni and a distinguished interdisciplinary board, the journal's mission is to chronicle the conversion of basic biomedical research into practical applications. The journal's editorial team is seeking a variety of research papers, reviews, commentaries, and other article formats in the following areas: autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolism/diabetes/obesity, neuroscience/neurology/psychiatry, immunology/vaccines, infectious diseases, policy, behavior, bioengineering, physics, chemical genomics/drug discovery, imaging, applied physical sciences, medical nanotechnology, drug delivery, biomarkers, gene therapy/regenerative medicine, cancer, toxicology and pharmacokinetics, data mining, cell culture, animal and human studies, medical informatics, other interdisciplinary approaches to medicine. Preference will be given to papers on humans, human tissue, and animal models with proven relevance to human diseases. Learn more about the submission process and submit your work for review. Give Science and Full AAAS Benefits at Special Holiday Rates $50 Postdoc/Student, $99 Professional Gift giving has evolved to create even happier holidays for young researchers, budding student scientists, friends, and family. Give a full year of Science (51 issues) plus all the education and career benefits of AAAS membership and you'll receive our limited edition "How to Explain Your Research at a Party" shirt for free. Order today for US (print edition) and international (Science Digital) recipients.  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 at www.tinyurl.com/dye8kn 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 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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