The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy

March 15, 2017

You Spoke, We Listened: Science Legislation Update Part 2

After our previous post on science legislation being considered in the new Congress, we heard from you that having these types of posts is useful. Today, we will give you an overview of some new science-related legislation that is up for consideration. NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 (S.442)—Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): An updated version of last Congress’s House and Senate bills of the same name, the bill was negotiated …

March 2, 2017

Amidst Cabinet Nominations, Congress Considers Science Legislation

The 115th Congress is now in full swing. With the flurry of cabinet nominations being considered, it’s easy to miss the legislation that has been or is being considered in Congress. In this blog post, we will give you an overview of some of the science-related legislation that is up for consideration or has recently been passed. Department of Energy Research & Innovation Act (H.R. 589)—Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX): The …

February 15, 2017

Ask Your Members of Congress to Support Science Investment

Editor’s Note: This blog post was cross-posted from From The Prow, a blog by AGU leadership. Over the past few weeks, many of you have expressed an interest in becoming more involved in science policy. We’ve discussed opportunities in the past for you to engage under a new Administration and Congress in “The Shifting Landscape of Science” post and this is another element of that effort. Each year, AGU weighs in on …

February 14, 2017

Transition, Nominations, and the State of Science

Way to go science supporters! Our petition to “Bring Science to the White House” has officially reached 10,000 signatures! The petition urges President Trump to appoint a Scientific Advisor with a strong scientific background who understands the rigorous scientific method, the need for evidence-based science, the value of scientific research in shaping America’s future, and who can leverage the collaborative nature of the scientific community. We at AGU want to …

February 8, 2017

Congress Takes Notice of Scientific Integrity

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and 26 other Senators recently introduced S.338, legislation that aims to promote and protect scientific integrity. The bill contains language that would require the Directors of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish policies to protect scientists and the scientific endeavor, including preventing the intentional and unintentional tampering of data and safeguarding open communication of …

January 30, 2017

AGU, GSA Respond to Immigration Ban’s Impact on Science

Today, AGU and the Geological Society of America (GSA) responded to President Trump’s Executive Order “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” that restricts entrance to the U.S. for citizens from seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen). The full statement is included below: AGU and GSA Respond to President Trump’s Executive Order: “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United …

January 19, 2017

Farewell, President Obama.

After eight years, it’s time to say “farewell” to President Barack Obama. As we witness the peaceful exchange of power, we will surely contemplate the new opportunities before us as we begin engaging a new Administration with new priorities. However, it’s also a time for reflection; a time to look back on President Obama’s time in office. There is one aspect of President Obama’s legacy in particular that has distinguished …

January 10, 2017

Fall Meeting: Did You Miss Science Policy 101?

Welcome to 2017 Bridge readers! Did you join us at Fall Meeting this year? The AGU Public Affairs team featured several sessions about how you as a scientist can get more involved in policy advocacy. One of these sessions was “Science Policy 101: A Field Guide to Congress”. We discussed how Congress works, what changes we can expect in the 115th Congress, and what the best methods are for being …

December 26, 2016

GeoPolicy Connect: Recommendations for the Future

AGU’s inaugural GeoPolicy Connect (GPC) brought participants together to discuss how better decisions can be made around oil and gas issues as they pertain to hydraulic fracturing. Throughout the two day event, participants were tasked with finding ways to have inclusive conversations that lead to sound decisions around science policy issues. Through collaboration and innovative thinking, the following recommendations emerged: Build up easily accessible resources for science information to be …

December 16, 2016

How Scientists Can Reach Policy Makers: Lessons from Space Weather Scientists

Today’s post is part of a series written by student bloggers from the AGU Fall Meeting. By Kim Quesnel, Stanford University When I entered the Science Policy 201: Advocacy in Action session at the AGU Fall Meeting, I was surprised to learn that we would be spending the next hour discussing space weather. One of the taglines for the session was “Come learn how science can be used to …