On 8 March 2021, AGU sent a letter of support to leadership of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee for the Supporting Early Career Researchers Act.

 

Dear Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas:

On behalf of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and our community of 130,000 worldwide in the Earth and space sciences, I am writing to thank you for crafting and offering AGU’s official endorsement for the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act.

This important bill provides timely support for young scientists at a time when many have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill provides the immediate federal investment necessary to ensure that our country’s STEM pipeline will be able to emerge from this current crisis able to take on the escalating challenges facing our country. These challenges, affecting our health, our natural environment, and our national security, all require scientific expertise. Protecting early career researchers from leaving STEM is critical to ensuring America’s continued leadership in science and technology.

As the bill advances through the Committee, we ask that you consider defining who qualifies as an “early career researcher,” and expanding the types of institutions eligible under the grant terms to encompass a larger breadth of institutions, including national labs and non-academic research institutions.

Thank you for prioritizing investing in the next generation of scientists. A strong STEM workforce is essential to our country’s national security, economic strength and Americans’ health and well-being. AGU looks forward to working with you on this critical issue in the future.

PDF of letter