In this issue:

Message to Members: The Year in Review: Advancing Science and Scientists

News to Note: Delegation Visits Rwanda, Nuclear Power/Security/Verification, Bisphenol A, U.S. Energy Policy, Leadership Seminar on S&T Policy, New Satellite Images of Burma, Pros/Cons of Nuclear-Free World, Synthetic Biology, Science Journalism Award Winners, GE & Science Prize Winners; Science Spore Award Winner

MemberCentral: The new website for and about AAAS members

Science Careers: New Careers Booklet

Announcements: 2011 Annual Meeting, Science Mobile, Science and Human Rights Coalition, Mass Media Fellowships, Minority Science Writers Internships, Congress of European Microbiologists, President's Circle

---

---

Message to Members

The Year in Review: Advancing Science and Scientists

Dear Colleagues,

Each year, AAAS works on behalf of our members to advance science and the status of the scientific community nationally and internationally in order to better serve the well-being of people worldwide. During 2010, initiatives on many fronts moved this mission forward. The following is a sampling of the work AAAS has achieved in 2010.

Science Policy and Funding   Working at the intersection of science, government, and society, we lend objective expertise to the policymaking and research funding processes. This year, our ongoing series of Capitol Hill briefings included the role of computer models in nuclear risk assessment, public health challenges driven by global climate change, and better methods for assessing the impact of federal R&D investments. More than 500 U.S. and foreign leaders gathered at our 35th annual AAAS Forum on S&T Policy to examine competitiveness, energy, climate, and health. We placed the largest class of AAAS S&T Policy Fellows in the history of the program in congressional and federal agency offices, and our new Expert Labs initiative is assisting the government  by leveraging social media to gain input from the scientific and broader community on ideas to drive innovation and jobs. The AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program provided weekly policy updates and an annual in-depth analysis of the proposed U.S. budget. A post-midterm election analysis is assessing the possible impact on federal R&D funding and a variety of science policies. The annual AAAS Leadership Seminar on S&T policy also examined challenges in the new Congress.

International S&T Initiatives   AAAS is a leader in advancing science diplomacy and collaboration while also promoting scientific responsibility and human rights. Peter Agre, chairman of the AAAS Board of Directors, led a delegation to Myanmar to find common ground with high level S&T ministers. We moved forward on joint projects with the China Association for Science and Technology, on research standards and ethics. Two AAAS-sponsored conferences in Amman, Jordan focused on new collaborative networks from Morocco to Pakistan. We co-organized a conference in Rwanda to develop East African cooperative efforts in science and education. During a conference on research integrity in Singapore, AAAS collaborated on a statement of responsibilities for researchers and institutions. An initiative to promote sustainable development included building science capacity in Haiti. The AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition promoted the right to the benefits of science and the geospatial technology project corroborated the violent loss of rights in countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar. Our "On-call" Scientists program matched volunteers with human rights organizations and our Women's International Science Program linked networks of women in the Middle East with U.S. counterparts. 
 
Science Education and Career Development   Advancing science in the service of society also requires developing the S&T workforce and improving the education of all people. During 2010, we have been a leading voice in advocating adoption of voluntary K-12 national science standards, similar to state-proposed standards in English and math. In a report to Congress, we reviewed innovations in undergraduate science education, noting effective and transportable approaches. Our long-term literacy initiative, Project 2061, began a three-year program to design and test cutting-edge materials for middle school chemistry and biochemistry education. We continue to promote a diverse workforce by placing science and engineering students with disabilities in research internships and minority writers in Science internships. We led discussions on strategies to move underrepresented minorities into the S&T professoriate. A national survey conducted by AAAS, which confirmed continuing obstacles for U.S. women in science, was presented to policy makers. Our comprehensive job search and career development resource, Science Careers, continues to offer a freely accessible website, networking events, and seminars.

Public Engagement with Science   To improve the relationship between science and the rest of society, AAAS has moved beyond traditional public understanding efforts to a bidirectional dialogue. The AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology provides resources that assist scientists and engineers in discussing research findings with general audiences. The Center also works to engage the public through schools and science museums, Meet the Scientists events, commentaries published in newspapers and aired on broadcast outlets, and a science speakers service. This year's Annual Meeting, "Bridging Science and Society," was an unprecedented effort to bring science to the public with free lectures by leading scientists, Family Science Days, and career development events. In other AAAS initiatives, a series of public lectures, discussions, and forums invited broad input into critical areas such as global energy demand, enhanced nuclear security, and climate and energy policy. Internationally, AAAS joined the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in a report urging scientists and policy makers to sharpen messages and engage the public in policy issues such as climate change. 
 
AAAS works to engage the science, education, and policy communities, and the public-at-large, in the shared mission to advance science and serve society. As a member of AAAS, you are an integral part of this mission. We wish you a pleasant holiday season.

Sincerely,

Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS

P.S. I hope you are taking advantage of the AAAS MemberCentral website launched this year to facilitate communication and collaboration within a wide circle of peers.

---

News to Note

AAAS Delegation to East Africa Meets with Science and Education Leaders
Earlier this month, a delegation of top AAAS officials led by CEO Alan I. Leshner visited Kigali, Rwanda for four days of meetings with science and education leaders and researchers from six East African countries. Several members of the delegation addressed a conference co-organized by AAAS and the Education Minister of Rwanda to discuss human resources development and regional integration in science and technology fields. Also during the visit, AAAS's Project 2061 held a workshop on the effective use of its science education resources. The meetings advanced a fruitful relationship that began several years ago in support of Rwanda's commitment to develop S&T capacity as a driver of economic growth following the country's devastating genocide. Read more.

Experts Explore Nuclear Issues: Power, Security, Verification
A panel of influential nuclear experts gathered for a public forum at AAAS to discuss renewed interest in nuclear energy, innovative new reactor designs being submitted for review, and how security efforts would impact the development of technology. The event was part of the series, Science & Society: Global Challenges, co-sponsored by AAAS, the American Chemical Society, and Georgetown University. The second event, a high-level workshop, focused on the policy challenge in balancing the needs for power and security as having a direct bearing on counter-proliferation efforts to track and verify nuclear materials worldwide. Scientists and policymakers reviewed various policy initiatives for nuclear verification and improved nuclear forensics and examined existing and more futuristic verification technologies. Read more.

Panel at AAAS Discusses the Battle over Bisphenol A
During another public lecture in the Global Challenges series, toxicology and environmental law experts said the battle over the chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, holds lessons for the assessment of a range of chemicals whose possible impact on human health remains elusive. Some studies in animals suggest that BPA, which can leach into food from polycarbonate tableware, food storage containers, water bottles, and baby bottles, can disrupt the endocrine system with potential harmful effects on growth and development. However, answering the question as to whether low-level exposure to BPA can have adverse human health effects is difficult and contentious. Read about regulatory standards and a call from some experts to reassess standard toxicology methods.

Experts Voice Guarded Optimism for U.S. Energy Policy
During a recent panel discussion, "Outlook for Climate and Energy Policy in the New Congress," three influential experts said that the policy and political environment following the mid-term elections will obstruct any broad legislation to address climate and energy -- despite strong public support for action, as shown in national opinion polls. But while ambitious measures like cap-and-trade may be dead, the panel said that bipartisan agreement could be reached on more modest initiatives such as conservation and efficiency, vehicle electrification, and upgrading the nation's archaic electricity-transmission grid. The panel also cited the possible impetus of international events such as an oil-price spike that would create pressure for alternative energy and the growing public awareness of advanced energy technologies being developed by global economic competitors. The public discussion, held at AAAS, is the last of four in this fall's Global Challenges series. Read more and access the video.

AAAS Leadership Seminar Examines New Challenges for Science Policy
Detailed assessments of U.S. science policy were presented by officials at the White House, Congress, federal agencies, think tanks, and research organizations during the week-long seventh annual AAAS Leadership Seminar on S&T Policy. Speakers offered a sober view of the challenges in the new Congress, saying funding for health and environmental research could be among the targets and researchers may be summoned to congressional hearings. Scientists need to prepare to defend research investment, using solid data to support the vital role of R&D in the U.S. economy, while not becoming embroiled in politics, the speakers advised. One participant also suggested a "patriotism argument" to change the focus of the discussion on climate to energy innovation, a key to maintaining U.S. world leadership in S&T. As the country faces difficult solutions to historic budget deficits, the speakers urged the scientific community to strongly engage with elected officials and the public. Read more.

Satellite Images Reveal More Evidence of Destruction in Burma
AAAS's follow-up analysis of before-and-after high-resolution satellite images shows evidence of likely destruction at an additional 25 locations in Burma (Myanmar). In 2007, the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, through its geospatial technologies project, first corroborated eye witness reports of human rights violations at 25 sites across eastern areas bordering Thailand. After reviewing reports of civilian attacks from 2005 through 2010, the new analysis shows that Burma's ruling military government "has waged a particularly active campaign of oppression against the Karen State," with violations including burning villages and farms and clear-cutting agricultural fields. Read more, access the reports, and view satellite imagery.

U.S. and Japanese Experts Imagine a World Free of Nuclear Weapons
During a symposium co-sponsored by AAAS and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, experts said that a world without nuclear weapons, although widely considered to be a desirable if challenging long-term goal, could pose new uncertainties and risks. At present, no legal framework exists that allows the pursuit of a nuclear-free world. And, there is insufficient analysis of the potential de-stabilizing impact of terrorists or rogue states that might not comply. Some governments could be more nervous about nuclear warfare than they are now, with stable deterrence between superpowers. For the short term, an expert in public policy urged reductions in nuclear weapons by ratification of the U.S.-Russia New START treaty currently stalled in the Senate, and resuming the six-party talks that also include Russia, China, South Korea, and North Korea. Read more.

AAAS-Hitachi Lecture Probes Benefits/Risks of Synthetic Biology
The "mind boggling" possible benefits of synthetic biology, such as microbes to churn out pharmaceuticals or to expedite oil spill cleanups, must be weighed against the potential risks, said bioethicist Thomas H. Murray of The Hastings Center. Murray listed the risks inherent in the process of fundamentally altering life or creating new life forms, including the future possibility that the nascent field could be used to build new kinds of pathogens for bioterrorism, and the need for biosafety to eliminate the inadvertent transfer of genes from synthetic organisms to natural ones. He noted that frameworks already exist to deal in part with these concerns, including government regulations and the self-regulation of scientists. Read more about the new technologies, presented during the 3rd annual AAAS-Hitachi Lecture on Science & Society.

Science Journalists Honored By Prestigious Awards
Probing reports on toxic drinking water, aspects of memory, endangered fish, and a challenge to the initial Gulf oil spill estimates are among the winners of the 2010 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards. Independent panels of science journalists judged the entries and selected the most distinguished reporting for a general audience in each of eight categories: Large Newspaper, Small Newspaper, Magazine, Television, In-Depth Reporting, Radio, Online, and Children's Science News. Read more about the winners and their reporting.

Postdoc Fellow Mark Bates Wins GE & Science Prize
Mark Bates' novel research using fluorescence microscopy to obtain high-resolution images of biological cells and tissues has won the grand prize in the 2010 GE & Science Prize for Young Life Scientists. Bates explained that his work enabling closer examination of biological specimens "may have far-reaching implications for basic research and biotechnology...applications such as improved clinical diagnoses that more adequately identify cancerous cells..." Read more, access the winning essay published in the 3 December issue of Science, and the full text of essays by regional winners.

"Ask a Biologist" Site Wins Science SPORE Award
An engaging Q&A website, which invites students to ask a fictional Dr. Biology a question that is answered using the combined knowledge of more than 150 volunteer experts in biology-related areas, has won the Science Prize for Online Resources in Education (SPORE). Created by Charles Kazilek of Arizona State University, the site blends science facts with intriguing content and graphics and includes 2,500 pages of science-related activities, games, quizzes, and experiments. Read more, visit the site, and see an article by the award recipient published in the 26 November issue of Science.

---

Now on AAAS MemberCentral

Connect with AAAS members at membercentral.aaas.org, the website for and about AAAS members with exclusive stories, photos, videos, webinars, and podcasts. A sampling follows. (Need help with your username or password? Click here)

---

Science Careers

Science Careers, published by AAAS, offers many resources to help you 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 -- all for free. Thousands of searchable jobs from academia, industry, and government are available as well as job alert e-mails, career advice, a resume/CV Database, webinars, and more. Visit ScienceCareers.org today.

New Science Careers Booklet: Step by Step
A lot of what's written about science careers focuses on the career options available to individuals or how to apply for jobs when you're ready to enter the market. The reality, of course, is that we should be thinking about our career long before that point. This booklet looks at the steps you can take throughout your training to better prepare for your career. Whether you're considering which internship opportunity to pursue, what sort of graduate school experience you might be interested in, or what to expect in your postdoc position, there's information here for you.

---

Member Benefits

Subaru
AAAS Members save between $1,300 - $3,300* off the manufacturer's suggested retail price (depending on model and accessories) on the purchase or lease of a new Subaru from participating dealers. To qualify, you must be a AAAS member in good standing for at least six consecutive months prior to participation in this program. Please contact AAAS Member Services at 202-326-6417 or e-mail membership@aaas.org BEFORE visiting your local Subaru dealer.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science Platinum Plus® Credit Card With WorldPoints® Rewards
Get cash, travel, merchandise and more, just for making the purchases you ordinarily do. Whether you're traveling, running errands or shopping online, use the Platinum Plus® MasterCard® credit card with WorldPoints® rewards. (Apply online.)

---

Announcements

Registration Open: 2011 AAAS Annual Meeting, 17–21 February, Washington, D.C.
Theme: "Science Without Borders"
The meeting is a platform for the most current thinking and research findings in science, technology, and policy. The program crosses conventional disciplinary borders. It features strong presentations from leading experts and a rare opportunity to meet and speak with eminent scientists who share your interests and passion for science. Advance registration and hotel reservations are now open. More information

AAAS and Science Launch Science Mobile
Abstracts of research articles from Science's family of journals, a daily news service, a searchable job database, career development resources, and more are now available "to go" with a new free app for mobile devices. In addition, users can e-mail links to the full text of research articles and store content for reading without Wi-Fi access. Read more and download the app.

AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition Meeting: 11 January
The meeting, to be held at AAAS headquarters, will open with a plenary on "Science, Human Rights and Haiti's Recovery" and will conclude with a lecture from Dinah Shelton, professor of environmental law and member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Presentations, workshops, and working meetings will cover human rights issues central to the mission of the Coalition, including: "Human Rights and Human Subjects: Protection Mechanisms," "She Speaks Science, He Speaks Human Rights: Bridging the Divide," and "Getting the Word Out: Designing a Human Rights Track for Your Annual Meeting." The meeting is open to all scientists and representatives of scientific organizations, as well as human rights practitioners and other interested individuals. There is no fee for participation. Register here.

AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowships: Apply by 15 January
The AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship seeks to increase communication skills in student scientists. The Fellowship places senior undergraduate and graduate science, engineering, and mathematics students at media sites nationwide to work as science reporters for ten weeks. Past sites include the Chicago Tribune, Scientific American and NPR. AAAS selects 15-20 Fellows each summer. $4,500 stipend plus travel expenses. Visit our site for an application and more information.

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 2011 class.

4th Congress of European Microbiologists: 26-30 June, 2011
Join thousands of colleagues at FEMS 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland for the latest information on microbiology. Learn from world renowned experts, analyze the interdependence between key fields, and discuss solutions to future challenges. Several grants are available to Young Scientists to facilitate their attendance at this important event.

Join the AAAS President's Circle
AAAS's undertaking to advance science in the service of society is an enormous one, especially now as we are increasingly called upon by the administration and Congress, the science community, and the public to speak up for science on a host of global issues. You can help to ensure that the voice of science -- your voice -- is heard by becoming a part of 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.

---

---

More 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.

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.