{"id":15946,"date":"2019-12-03T13:40:08","date_gmt":"2019-12-03T18:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=15946"},"modified":"2019-12-03T13:40:08","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T18:40:08","slug":"policy-news-december-3-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2019\/12\/03\/policy-news-december-3-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy News: December 3, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Katherine S. McCarter<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Graduate Student Policy Award<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Applications are now being accepted.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

ESA is now accepting applications for its 2020 Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award. Offered each year, this award gives graduate students an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC for science policy training with opportunities to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n

Visit the\u00a0ESA website<\/a>\u00a0for more information and details on application requirements. The deadline to apply is Jan. 8, 2020.<\/p>\n

In This Issue:<\/h1>\n

Member Opportunities<\/strong><\/a>
\nAttend ESA Southeastern Chapter Communications Training geared toward policymakers in Knoxville, Feb. 3: Travel Awards Available.<\/p>\n

Sign up for an ESA Policy Webinar: \u201cCivic Engagement for Scientists: Getting Involved with Local Government\u201d<\/p>\n

White House Plans to Finalize WOTUS Rule, Release Additional \u201cTransparency in Science\u201d proposal and more<\/s><\/strong><\/a>
\nPlan previews final year of President Trump\u2019s current term in office.<\/p>\n

Congress<\/strong><\/a>
\nSenate report criticizes federal funding agencies for failing to combat the threat of Chinese government talent recruitment programs.<\/p>\n

Executive Branch<\/strong><\/a>
\nPCAST holds its first meeting of the Trump administration, NOAA nominee withdraws from Senate consideration.<\/p>\n

International<\/strong><\/a>
\nThe United Nations COP 25 starts in Madrid.<\/p>\n

Scientific Community<\/strong><\/a>
\nEditors of prominent scientific journals criticize the EPA\u2019s \u201cTransparency in Science\u201d rule.<\/p>\n

Opportunities to Get Involved<\/strong><\/a>
\nFederal Register opportunities.<\/p>\n

ESA In the News<\/strong><\/a>
\nView an up-to-date list of ESA\u2019s media coverage.<\/p>\n

Attend ESA Communications Training in Knoxville, Feb. 3: Travel Awards Available<\/strong><\/h2>\n

<\/a>
\nThe ESA Southeastern Chapter has an excellent opportunity for its members to attend a Communicating Science Workshop co-hosted with NIMBioS, University of Tennessee, Knoxville on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020.<\/p>\n

The ESA Communicating Science workshop is designed to address the needs of ecologists to communicate scientific information in a variety of public and professional interactions. This workshop will build participants confidence and skill set for public engagement with media, Congress, and other audiences. It also provides a professional development opportunity to develop broader impact skills.<\/p>\n

Up to a $200.00 travel award will be given to ESA members ($200.00 overnight award for those traveling more than 60 miles or a $100.00 commuter travel award for those who will travel between 45-60 miles from Knoxville.) Space is limited and preference will be given to Southeastern Chapter members.<\/p>\n

Visit the\u00a0ESA website<\/a>\u00a0for additional information.<\/p>\n

ESA Policy Webinar: \u201cCivic Engagement for Scientists: Getting Involved with Local Government\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

December 16, 2019, 2pm EDT
\n<\/strong>Presenters: Drs. Arti Garg and Kendra Zamzow<\/strong><\/p>\n

Communities thrive when all members participate and meet challenges together, and democracies thrive when individuals are engaged with their local governments. Civic engagement can be an important and enriching experience for anyone, regardless of their background or career path. Scientists and engineers can offer unique contributions to their local communities and to city, county, and state governments, including inquiry-driven and evidence-based approaches to solving problems and technical expertise in specific subjects.<\/p>\n

Many scientists and engineers want to be more involved in their local communities but don\u2019t know where to begin. In this webinar, Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally will highlight opportunities for scientists to engage in their local communities such as advocating to change a local law, joining a local commission, advising a lawmaker, and serving in elected office. Drs. Garg and Zamzow will give examples from their own experience.<\/p>\n

We will also discuss what hurdles scientists and engineers face to getting more involved and how to move beyond them. This webinar will contribute to an ongoing conversation on civic engagement by members of the scientific community, and we hope that attendees will leave inspired with new ideas for how they can get more involved in their own communities.<\/p>\n

RSVP<\/a>, Space is limited.<\/p>\n

Presenter Bios<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Arti Garg is an astrophysicist and the Founder and Chair of Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally, an all-volunteer non-profit with the mission of increasing local government and community engagement by people with backgrounds in STEM. She also serves on the Community Services Commission in the City of Hayward in California. When not working with her local government, she heads AI market and technology strategy at Cray supercomputers as Cray\u2019s Emerging Market & Technology Director.<\/p>\n

Dr. Kendra Zamzow is an environmental chemist who volunteers with Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally, is on the board of a small community group, and founded a local climate action group in her community in Alaska. She has also served on her community council. When she isn\u2019t volunteering, she works with the non-profit Center for Science in Public Participation, which assists communities and tribes understand the environmental risks of mining projects.<\/p>\n

White House Plans to Finalize WOTUS Rule, Release Additional \u201cTransparency in Science\u201d and more\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

<\/a>
\nThe White House Office of Management and Budget\u2019s biannual\u00a0Unified Agenda<\/a>\u00a0provides a preview of the administration\u2019s upcoming new regulations and deregulatory actions. This year\u2019s Unified Agenda is particularly significant because it details the administration\u2019s plans for the last year of President Trump\u2019s current term in office. Selected items in the Unified Agenda indicate that administration will advance a new Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act regulations and more:<\/p>\n