March 29, 2019
Sequestration is back; and science funding is in jeopardy.
The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) required Congress to find ways to cut the deficit by capping funding for non-defense, including science, and defense programs. Congress never came to an agreement on ways to cut the deficit and therefore automatic across the board cuts for government spending, or sequestration, were invoked. Sequestration was supposed to be so bad that Congress would be forced to reach an agreement. Under the BCA, FY2020 defense …
March 25, 2019
Using science to speak truth to power
Today’s post was written by Dr. Bonnie McGill. Dr. McGill is a David H. Smith Conservation Fellow and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kansas. Some people ooh and aah over movie stars on the red carpet. Me? I idolize scientists providing testimony in Congress. Some personal favorites include Dr. James Hansen’s 1988 Senate testimony on global warming and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and others’ 2016 House testimony regarding lead-contaminated drinking …
March 22, 2019
Swept Away: Stream Gauges Essential to Storm Resilience
Today’s post is in Honor of World Water Day and is by Dr. Amy Marcarelli (@AmyMarcarelli). Dr. Marcarelli is an associate professor of biological science at Michigan Technological University. Her research links nutrient and carbon cycling with ecological community dynamics in river, stream and lake ecosystems. One of the most basic characteristics used to describe a stream is its discharge—how much water it carries. Discharge tells us how quickly something …
January 31, 2019
Meet Them Where They Are
David Reidmiller is the director of the National Climate Assessment and previously led much of the U.S. government’s engagement in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change while at the State Department. He writes this in his personal capacity; the contents herein do not necessarily represent the views of the federal government. When working at the intersection of science and policy, scientists can find themselves shifting from the familiar–straightforward communication of …
January 18, 2019
Promoting Science-based Policy
Today’s post is part of a series written by student bloggers from the AGU Fall Meeting 2018. By: Emilie Sinkler, a PhD candidate in Galciology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. What can scientists (and non-scientists) do to preserve science funding and promote science-based policy? The 2018 AGU Fall Meeting was the perfect place to learn about and get involved in science policy. The location in the nation’s capital gave scientists …
January 10, 2019
What is the Value of the Geosciences?
Today’s post is part of a series written by student bloggers from the AGU Fall Meeting 2018. By: Emilie Sinkler, a PhD candidate in Galciology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Geoscientists study many different aspects of the world around us, under us, and above us. Knowledge about our world informs how and where we build our homes, streets, and other infrastructure. It also causes us to reconsider our actions and …
January 4, 2019
Making Climate Change Personal
Today’s post is part of a series written by student bloggers from the AGU Fall Meeting 2018. By: Haley Ritger, a PhD student at the University of Georgia. Haley holds master’s degrees in public affairs and environmental science from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. As 28,500 registrants gather to present and discuss 8,000 papers at this year’s Fall Meeting and simultaneously kick-off the year-long AGU Centennial Celebration, we …
December 20, 2018
What does it mean for Science to “stand for” something?
Today’s post is part of a series written by student bloggers from the AGU Fall Meeting 2018. By: Hannah Mark, MIT-WHOI Joint Program on Marine Geology and Geophysics At this year’s AGU Fall Meeting, I spent a good bit of time walking back and forth between posters and talks along the corridor on the lower level of the Walter Washington Convention Center. Every trip took me past a giant screen playing …
December 7, 2018
Science Communication and Policy Events at Fall Meeting
By Shane M Hanlon and Brittany Webster In a world where most people cannot name a living scientist and science has been increasingly politicized, it’s important for scientists to be able to connect their science with society. This year at Fall Meeting, AGU is excited to have spaces dedicated to both science communication and outreach, as well as science policy, that will help you connect science to general non-scientists, journalists, …
December 4, 2018
Science, Advocacy, and the Law at the Fall Meeting
Editor’s Note: The following guest blog is written by Rebecca Fowler, Communications Director of the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund. A growing number of geoscientists are engaging in advocacy and activism, and realizing that legal literacy is essential when science is in political crosshairs. Several offerings at the Fall Meeting will arm scientists with the knowledge they need to safely and effectively speak up for science in various settings. These include …
