In this issue:

Message to Members:
--Working at the Intersection of Science and Policy

News to Note:
--Capitol Hill Briefing: Cell Phones and the Brain
--AAAS Report: Science in Haiti's Future
--Arctic and Caribbean Division Meetings
--Project 2061 Grant: "Green Schools" Curriculum
--New University Commercialization Prize
--Texas Physics Teacher Wins AAAS Education Prize
--S&T Policy Fellows Learn About Altered Legislative Process
--Women Postdocs Receive L'Oréal USA Fellowships
Member Central
--Three AAAS Members Honored with Nobel Prizes
Science Careers:
--Top Employer Survey Results
--Featured Jobs
Announcements:
--S&T Policy Fellowships: Application Deadline
--2012 AAAS Annual Meeting
--Science SPORE Award Winner
--2012 USA Science & Engineering Festival
--Combined Federal Campaign
--President's Circle

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Message to Members

Working at the Intersection of Science and Policy

Dear Colleagues,

AAAS works to bring additional, high quality science and engineering information into the public policymaking process, adding valuable technical expertise in addressing the complex challenges that global society faces today.

The AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Congress is dedicated to providing timely and objective information to U.S. legislators and other government officials and the public they serve. Critical current issues are the focus of the ongoing discussion series Science & Society: Global Challenges. Four candid conversations with scientists, economists, educators, and policymakers that explore cyber attack, lessons learned from Fukushima, infectious disease, and nanotechnology are being held in the AAAS auditorium during October and November and are open to the public. To register to attend, go to http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/pne/events/nonotes.shtml.

AAAS also guides scientists and engineers to meaningful participation in policymaking. An updated edition of the book Working With Congress will be available soon, providing detailed background information and step-by-step advice. You'll find excerpts at http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/wwced1/book.htm.

To communicate directly with legislators and their staffs, AAAS holds briefings on Capitol Hill organized by our Office of Government Relations. A recent series of three neuroscience briefings examined military applications, concerns about cell phone use and cancer, and traumatic brain injury (see News, below).  In addition, the largest class of AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows in the history of the program is working directly with executive branch agencies and congressional offices, applying their scientific expertise to policymaking.

Also critical to strong science policy is federal investment in research and development, a major driver of economic growth. The AAAS Budget and Policy Program tracks funding with independent analysis, appropriations progress charts, and other tools, posted online at http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd.

As science and engineering become increasingly dominant in issues of vital concern to the public, AAAS works to strengthen the intersection where science and policy meet. We value the support of every member in this important endeavor.

Sincerely,

Alan I. Leshner, CEO, AAAS

P.S. You can now register for the 2012 AAAS Annual Meeting 16-22 February in Vancouver, British Columbia at a special advanced registration rate. Go to www.aaas.org/meetings. Also, please check your passport for renewal if necessary.

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News to Note

AAAS Organizes Capitol Hill Briefing: Cell Phones and the Brain
George M. Gray, an expert in risk science, said during a Capitol Hill briefing that although the U.S. National Cancer Institute has concluded that research studies have not shown a consistent link between cell phone use and cancers of the brain or other tissues of the head or neck, public fears persist. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at NIH, reported that researchers have found that when phones were on, there was "a significant increase in brain glucose metabolism in the areas of the brain that were receiving the greatest exposure to electromagnetic radiation" -- but she emphasized that scientists do not know whether this increased activity is harmful. Both speakers commented that mixed public health messages, an inherent fear of unseen risks, and scientific uncertainty make this issue a case study in the challenges of science communication, also calling for further research. Read more and watch a video of the second of three neuroscience briefings.

AAAS Report Explores Critical Role of Science in Haiti's Future
Science for Haiti, produced as a product from a conference of  Haitian and international scientists and educators, guides the global community in working together to build the robust science sector necessary for the country's recovery from last year's deadly earthquake, and for future development. The report offers more than three dozen specific recommendations for achieving the goals of cultivating needed scientific expertise in sustainability and science education and increasing the nation's ties to the international scientific and engineering community. Science for Haiti was a central topic of a September meeting in Port-au-Prince. On 20 October, AAAS will host a meeting of U.S. organizations interested in advancing Haiti's science and science education capacity. Read more and access the full report.

AAAS Regional Divisions Hold Annual Meetings
Four regional divisions carry out the objectives of AAAS in their respective territories, focusing on science-related matters of local concern. Two recently held meetings.

Project 2061 Receives Grant for "Green Schools" Curriculum
AAAS's science and mathematics literacy initiative will explore how to turn the technology and data generated in sustainable school buildings into interactive and relevant middle school lesson plans that integrate core concepts and encourage problem-solving and active engagement by teachers and students. The data might range from measurements of total water consumption of low-flow plumbing to the kilowatt hours of solar energy absorbed by green and conventional rooftops. The two-year planning grant from the National Science Foundation will support the work of an interdisciplinary team of green architects, education experts, and software developers. The team also will focus on ways to share the curriculum beyond sustainable schools. Read more.

AAAS to Help Launch University Commercialization Prize
As President Barack Obama signed the America Invents Act into law in mid-September, intended to convert the ideas of universities and research labs into new products, the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and the National Science Foundation, in concert with AAAS, launched a new prize to recognize successful university-based commercialization activities. AAAS will assume a management role for the prize, spearheading the design and implementation of the competition. The new initiative is expected to involve an array of partner agencies, foundations, and other organizations, with the goal to distribute the first round of prizes in late 2012. Read more.

Texas Physics Teacher Wins AAAS Education Prize
George "Dr. H." Hademenos' high school students learn physics by writing books that explain key concepts in ways fourth grade children can understand. One of the books created and illustrated by students focuses on weather and features soccer players finding out how a thunderstorm that interrupted their game was formed, followed by a hands-on experiment involving homemade rainbows. Cited for a significant contribution to the AAAS goal of advancing science education by developing an innovative and demonstrably effective classroom strategy, activity, or program, Hademenos has won AAAS's 2011 Leadership in Science Education Prize for High School Teachers. Read more about the former physics researcher turned teacher and download copies of the books written by his students.

AAAS S&T Policy Fellows Learn About an Altered Legislative Process
During a September orientation prior to beginning a year in government agencies and congressional offices, the 255 members of the 2011-12 class -- the largest in the 39-year history of the program -- learned about recent fundamental changes in the legislative process. Mickey Edwards, a former member of Congress who was part of the Republican leadership, and Rush Holt, a six-term Democratic member of Congress and former Congressional Fellow who is a trained physicist, told the Fellows that the current hard-headed emphasis on party is undermining compromise on tough issues and eroding the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. The lawmakers also emphasized that the Fellows were starting their work at an interesting, challenging time and urged them to help "recapture the truly American characteristic that we're about progress and we get there by thinking like scientists." Read more and watch a video. (See the Announcements section for information on applying for the 2012-13 class of S&T Policy Fellows.)

Five Women Postdocs Receive L'Oréal USA Fellowships
The highly competitive L'Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science  program, administered by AAAS, was particularly rigorous in 2011 with 219 applications across 27 scientific disciplines. After an independent two-step review process by distinguished scientists and engineers, five winners, now engaged in post doctoral research tied to stroke rehabilitation, prosthetics, optoelectronics, brain disorders, and viral infection, were selected. The women were honored during a luncheon on Capitol Hill, attended by policymakers, science leaders, diplomats, and science-oriented college and high school students. Read more about the winners and the fellowships, which are part of a broader L'Oréal UNESCO for Women in Science program.

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MemberCentral

This website for and about AAAS members features exclusive stories, photos, videos, webinars, and podcasts.

NOW on MemberCentral:
This year three AAAS members were honored with Nobel Prizes. Ralph Steinman and Jules Hoffmann were awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their contributions to our understanding of the immune system, and Saul Perlmutter won the Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering that the universe's expansion is accelerating. They will receive their prizes at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden in December. Congratulations to them all!

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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 résumé/CV Database, webinars, and more. Visit ScienceCareers.org today.

Just Released: 2011 Top Employer Survey Results
Science Careers published its annual 2011 Top Employer ad feature in the 7 October issue of Science and online. This year's survey was designed to identify the 20 companies with the finest reputations in the industry, as well as the characteristics that have the greatest impact on an employer's status. Find out who made the list and read the full story.

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Announcements

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships Program: Applications Deadline 5 December
Online applications are now open for 2012–2013 Fellowships. Interested applicants are encouraged to start their application early and contact their references as soon as possible. Feel free to pass on this information to friends and colleagues who also may be interested. The deadline for applications is 5 December, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For more information about the program, go to www.fellowships.aaas.org.

2012 AAAS Annual Meeting, 6-20 February, Vancouver, BC
Theme: "Flattening the World: Building the Global Knowledge Society"
In a symposium-focused environment, about 700 experts will present new and exciting advances in their fields as well as in multidisciplinary research to thousands of scientists, engineers, educators, and policymakers, all of whom will interact with each another and with hundreds of members from national and international media. Register now for special advance registration rates at www.aaas.org/meetings.
Reminder: Check your passport and renew if necessary.

Earth Exploration Toolbook Wins Science SPORE Award
Students are tapping into Earth science data sets using the Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) to focus on topics such as weather, climate, environmental quality, or the hydrologic cycle. Each chapter presents a data set such as earthquake records and a case study or "storyline" that makes the data interesting, with step-by-step instructions for understanding and working with the data. Recognized as an important innovation in science education, the site, whose principal investigator is former climate researcher Tamara Shapiro Ledley, has won the Science Prize for Online Resources in Education (SPORE). Read more, watch a video, visit the site, and access the essay about the project published in the 30 September issue of Science.

AAAS to Participate in USA Science & Engineering Festival
AAAS is a partner organization in the second USA Science & Engineering Festival, to be held 28-28 April 2012 in Washington, D.C. AAAS will present the "Science of Our Senses" exhibit, offering visitors the opportunity to meet scientists and test their own sight, smell, hearing, and touch with a variety of family-friendly activities. AAAS CEO Alan I. Leshner serves on the Festival Advisory Board and will participate as a speaker in the festival's Nifty Fifty series at middle and high schools in the Washington, D.C. area. Find out more.

U.S. Federal Workers Can Support AAAS through the CFC
U.S. 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 contribution period is 1 September-15 December. AAAS's CFC number is 10134.

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.

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More About AAAS

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