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<p class="MsoNormal">Science took center stage in recent interactions between
researchers and policymakers. Across the
nation, dozens of biological scientists and educators met with their lawmakers
as part of the Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event, an
initiative organized by the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS).<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This nationwide event facilitates meetings between
scientists and their elected officials in their local area rather than in
Washington, DC or a state capital, and allows lawmakers to learn first-hand
about the science and research facilities in their district.<span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:yellow"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“In spite of heated political debates at many levels of
government, science needs to remain a bipartisan issue,” said Dr. Robert Gropp,
Interim Co-Executive Director of AIBS. “It’s
more important than ever for scientists to engage with policymakers to help
them better appreciate the many ways that research contributes to society. Often, lawmakers don’t have routine contact
with scientists, if you aren’t talking to a group it is hard to know what they
do and what they need.”<span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:yellow"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt">Scientists participating in the
event discussed the importance of life sciences research with the individuals
responsible for casting the votes that shape the nation’s science policy. Participants ranged from graduate students to
senior researchers.<span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><br></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt">“Participating in the Biological Sciences
Congressional District Visits event was an invaluable experience to have as a
graduate student. The training provided
by AIBS made me feel confident and ready to go have a conversation with Representative
Reed’s District Director about federal funding, especially how it’s benefitted
me during my Ph.D.,” said Erin Larson, a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University
and a member of the Society for Freshwater Science. “I was struck during our meeting by how
meaningful it is to ‘show up’ and participate in the political process,
especially as it relates to federal funding for the biological sciences. We scientists take the importance of federal
funding to do our research to be a given, but it’s important for us to be able
to communicate that effectively, especially with policymakers, to ensure that
federal funding is maintained in the future.”<span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt">“The Natural History Museum of Utah
hosted Congressman Chris Stewart’s District Director and other members of his
Utah staff in August. This was a
wonderful opportunity to get to know the Congressman’s great staff, to spend
time together in the Museum’s collections areas, as well as in the exhibits and
other public areas of the Museum—and to talk about how to connect with the
Congressman and his staff in the future,” said Ann Hanniball, Associate
Director for Community Relations at the Natural History Museum of Utah, which
is a member of the Natural Science Collections Alliance, Society for the
Preservation of Natural History Collections, and AIBS.<span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“<span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">It
was really nice to be provided the opportunity to meet our local Assembly
Member and to have him tour our facilities,” said Wallace Meyer, director of
the Robert J. Bernard Field Station at Claremont Colleges in California. The field station is a member of the Organization
of Biological Field Stations. “Not only
was I able to communicate all the amazing things that happen at our field
station, we were able to discuss how important such facilities are for all the
people in our district. In the end, I
feel as though our field station made a friend and one who is both
knowledgeable and engaged in local environmental issues.”</span><span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"> <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The 8<sup>th</sup> annual Biological Sciences Congressional
District Visits were made possible by AIBS, with support from event sponsors Botanical
Society of America, Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Natural Science
Collections Alliance, Organization of Biological Field Stations, Paleontological
Society, Society for Freshwater Science, and Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections.<span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:yellow"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><br></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt">Participants in the event were
prepared for their meetings during an interactive training webinar. The program provided information about how
best to communicate science to non-technical audiences and tips for conducting
a successful meeting with an elected official.<span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:yellow"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><br></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt">Highlights of the event include:</p><p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"></p><ul><li>U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) will
tour the University of Texas at El Paso Biodiversity Collections;<br></li><li>Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) will visit Stony
Brook University in November to discuss neuroscience research with graduate
students;<br></li><li><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"times new roman""> </span>Illinois researchers met with Representative
Rodney Davis (R-IL) about science education;<br></li><li>California Assemblymember Chris Holden (D)
toured the Robert J. Bernard Field Station of Claremont College and the Robert
Redford Conservancy of Pitzer College;<br></li><li>Virginia Senator Mark Obenshain (R) visited
James Madison University’s Bioscience Building;<br></li><li>A graduate student from the University of
Georgia met with state Representative Chuck Williams (R-GA) about science education;<br></li><li>Black Rock Forest Consortium hosted a tour for
staff of Representative Sean Maloney (D-NY);<br></li><li>Staff for Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) met with
faculty at the School of Pharmacy at Regis University;<br></li><li>Senator Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) district director
spoke with a faculty member from the University of Cincinnati about training
future scientists<br></li><li>Staff for Representative Chris Steward (R-UT)
toured the Natural History Museum of Utah;<br></li><li>Senator John Barrasso’s (R-WY) staff will tour
the Rocky Mountain Herbarium at the University of Wyoming; and<br></li><li>Researchers also met with staff for Senator
Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Representatives Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Barbara Lee
(D-CA), Tom Reed (R-NY), and Reid Ribble (R-WI).<br></li></ul><p></p><p style="margin-top:0in;margin-left:0.5in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">More information about the <i>Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits</i> event is
available at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aibs.org_public-2Dpolicy_congressional-5Fdistrict-5Fvisits.html&d=CwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=UmClQz32H8Ed5f1E3_03o8xLbvAQnBvQ_qLtkcdvrZ0&s=gWvmh6wq_Yil4mWM3rO0Sa6ChqEyzLL0UBL88P4qeyE&e=">www.aibs.org/public-policy/congressional_district_visits.html</a>. Resources are also available for scientists
who are interested in meeting with policymakers at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.aibs.org_public-2Dpolicy_congressional-5Fdistrict-5Fvisits-5Fresources.html&d=CwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=UmClQz32H8Ed5f1E3_03o8xLbvAQnBvQ_qLtkcdvrZ0&s=d5qmo9G6B30zZFx7aZqyJ-liHeO9F1mUdmjOj1WcCPs&e=">www.aibs.org/public-policy/congressional_district_visits_resources.html</a>. <span></span></p>
<div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr">Julie Palakovich Carr<br>Public Policy Manager<br>American Institute of Biological Sciences<br>1201 New York Avenue, NW</div><div dir="ltr">Suite 420<br>Washington, DC 20005<br>202-568-8117<br><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aibs.org&d=CwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=UmClQz32H8Ed5f1E3_03o8xLbvAQnBvQ_qLtkcdvrZ0&s=9DwwAUSKKeiFOwrLSPN-MlHWXU7KlDZOYVnkl4gthL0&e=" target="_blank">www.aibs.org</a><br></div></div></div></div>
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