You are browsing the archive for Policy Archives - The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy.
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 6, 2019
Global Science Policy at #AGU19
AGU’s science policy team is excited to host three international science policy initiatives at Fall Meeting this year. The first is a series of International Science Policy meetups. These meetups are a great opportunity to learn and hear from colleagues around the world engaging in science policy. Additionally, AGU’s science policy staff will be available to answer questions and provide resources. Tuesday, 10 December from 11 – 12 pm Moscone …
December 5, 2019
Science Policy Events at Fall Meeting 2019
AGU’s annual Fall Meeting is fast approaching! We are thrilled to be returning to San Francisco and celebrating AGU’s 100th year. Whether you’re curious about how to engage in science policy and want to learn the basics, or want to learn more about the fellowship opportunities AGU offers throughout the year, we have plenty of programs to help engage our members in science policy. Check out our schedule below. Most …
October 10, 2019
National Science Board highlights Skilled Technical Workforce shortage in new report
On 12 September, the National Science Board (NSB) released its latest report during a well-attended briefing on Capitol Hill. As the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) governing body, the NSB plays a critical role in looking broadly at trends in the science and technology (S&T) enterprise and provides recommendations to NSF on how to invest its portfolio. The NSB’s latest set of recommendations are presented in The Skilled Technical Workforce: Crafting …
October 8, 2019
AGU welcomes new Congressional Science Fellow, Dr. Kate Voss
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is pleased to announce its newest Congressional Science Fellow, Dr. Katalyn Voss. Now in its 42nd year, AGU’s Congressional Science Fellow program places highly qualified and accomplished scientists, engineers, and other professionals in the office of an individual member of Congress or on a committee for a one-year assignment. Dr. Voss, who started her fellowship in September, has been placed within the office of Sen. …
October 2, 2019
Funding Update: Continuing Resolution keeps government open, appropriations continue
On Friday, 27 September, President Trump signed into law a continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the government funded through 21 November 2019. The CR extends 2019 funding levels into the start of Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, which began on 1 October. Although this means that science agencies will remain operational, while under a CR agencies cannot award new grants, plan new programs, or budget appropriately. Additionally, the CR can …
June 12, 2019
A dedicated, university-based team that bridges the science-policy divide
Dr. Michelle McCrackin is a biogeochemist interested in how agriculture, urbanization, energy production, and land use change have influenced nutrient cycling in watersheds, with particular interest in lake and coastal ecosystems. She is a researcher with Baltic Eye in Stockholm, Sweden. For the past five years, I have been part of a novel team, called Baltic Eye, at Stockholm University’s Baltic Sea Centre. Our team is composed of researchers, …
May 1, 2019
Catalyzing Change: One Scientist’s Experience During the Catalyzing Advocacy for Science and Engineering (CASE) Workshop
Meredith Richardson is a PhD Candidate in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Thanks to AGU and its initiatives for connecting science and policy, last month I had the opportunity to attend the Catalyzing Advocacy for Science and Engineering (CASE) Workshop hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington, DC. The workshop was a 3-day crash course in how Congress works. We …
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 …
