May 18, 2020
Guest Post: A New Resource on What Researchers Need to Know About Scientific Integrity
The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) has a new resource for scientists: A Quick Guide to the Scientific Integrity Policies of Universities, State Agencies and International Institutions. Published in April, the free guide describes how these entities typically structure their scientific integrity policies, highlights areas in which there are notable differences, provides tips for researchers trying to navigate these policies and notes the areas where the policies need …
May 13, 2020
Science policy carries on
Science policy is still happening at AGU, albeit from our kitchen tables. From advocating for stimulus funding for science to monitoring visa restrictions for international students and researchers, AGU has continued to speak up for our scientific community during this pandemic. However, not all recent science policy developments have been related to COVID-19. Here, we highlight three non-COVID policy issues that AGU’s Public Affairs team is acting on from home. Open access Open Access (OA) is a set of principles and …
May 11, 2020
Seven highlights from 70 years of the National Science Foundation
Caroline Gleason and Emily Orzechowski, AGU spring 2020 Public Affairs interns “Scientific progress is one essential key to our security as a nation, to our better health, to more jobs, to a higher standard of living and to our cultural progress.” – Vannevar Bush The National Science Foundation (NSF) was established 10 May 1950 with a mission to “promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and to secure the national defense.” In its 70 years, NSF has spurred major advances in scientific knowledge …
April 16, 2020
Stimulus funding helps the Earth and space science community
Caroline Gleason and Emily Orzechowski are AGU’s Spring 2020 Public Affairs Interns Three emergency COVID-19 stimulus bills have passed into law over the last month. The contents of these bills – from billions in funding for emergency vaccine development, to financial support to hospitals, to direct cash payments for millions of Americans – have been reported on widely. AGU is also offering many resources to help our community, including …
April 10, 2020
Moving Forward: A Guide for Health Professionals to Build Momentum on Climate Action
AGU has partnered with ecoAmerica and other scientific organizations on a new resource, Moving Forward: A Guide for Health Professionals to Build Momentum on Climate Action. AGU’s Net Zero Building Renovation is featured as a case study on how building design can help reduce energy use. MOVING FORWARD TOOLKIT Climate change is the greatest health threat of our time, and in response, health professionals across the …
April 6, 2020
Voice for Science: A Welcome with Advice from Alumni
In 2018, AGU launched Voices for Science, a program that centers around training scientists to address the critical need for communicating the value and impact of Earth and space science to key decision makers, journalists, and public audiences. The program recruits scientists to participate in one of two tracks: policy or communications. The Voices for Science program provides scientists in all career stages interested in science communications and outreach …
March 10, 2020
Guest Post From Climate Science Legal Defense Fund: CSLDF Publishes Guides to Scientific Integrity at Nine Federal Agencies
Last week, Climate Science Legal Defense Fund officially launched a series of guides to scientific integrity at nine federal agencies. The guides will help researchers understand their employer’s policy and navigate the process of filing a scientific integrity complaint. They also reveal which agencies have strong policies and where the policies are lacking. The nine guides—available separately and in a compilation—are available for free on their website. You can find …
March 3, 2020
The Future Needs Science. The U.S. Elections Need You.
AGU is launching the Science Votes the Future campaign to get candidates speaking about science and to get scientists to the polls. With the 2020 U.S. election season well underway—not just for the president but for many other national, state, and local elections—we haven’t heard enough about the essential role that science plays in our society. Scientific research is a critical part of understanding how climate change will affect …
February 13, 2020
FY21 Presidential Budget Request Breakdown
The U.S. federal appropriations season is upon us once again. On 10 February 2020, President Donald J. Trump released his Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2021. This is the first step in the appropriations negotiation process that ideally concludes before current fiscal year ends on 30 September. While a few vital science programs were funded, overall the president’s proposed budget is a severe disappointment for science and ignores the many …
December 23, 2019
FY2020 Spending Deal Passes with Average Marks for Science
After a delayed start, drawn-out negotiations, and two Continuing Resolutions, the Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations were signed into law Friday, 20 December. Overall, federal science agency funding saw modest boosts. However, the budget fails to provide substantial increases for key agencies and programs like the National Weather Service and the National Science Foundation. The most generous increase came from the United States Geological Survey’s Facilities spending– with a plan to …
