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Science Policy Alerts
Click on Special Initiatives when you designate your gift, and select Capitol Cause. AGU Members Bring Science to Capitol Hill
8 October 2010
AGU Science Policy Alert 10-32
Good policy is informed by good science. The geosciences, in particular, are informing many vital national policies today — including sustainable energy, climate change, environmental regulation, water resources, and natural hazard mitigation. On 22 September, 55 Earth and space scientists from 24 states across the country took to Capitol Hill to bring their expertise to Congress as part of the third annual Geoscience Congressional Visits Day (Geo-CVD). AGU partnered with four other geoscience societies to plan the annual event, which was attended by 33 AGU members.
Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) accepting the USGS Coalition
Leadership Award (Image Credit: Colin Schultz, AGU)
The event unofficially kicked off at the U.S. Geological Survey Coalition Reception held on Capitol Hill on 20 September. Geo-CVD participants mingled with senior USGS leaders, representatives of various national science organizations, and congressional staffers. Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, was in attendance as well. Mr. Moran and Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, were honored by the Coalition with its annual Leadership Award for their strong support of the USGS.
The following afternoon, the Geo-CVD participants attended a workshop to prepare them for their day on the Hill. The workshop covered communicating science to legislators, a breakdown of the fiscal year 2011 science agency budgets, and a panel of representatives from NOAA, NSF, USGS, and DOE Office of Science. Additionally, a panel of former Congressional Science Fellows, who have worked as staff in various congressional offices and committees, gave the scientists insight on communicating with congressional staff.
L to R: Jim Connors (Univ. of South Alabama),
Congressman Jo Bonner (R-AL),
Nick Tew (Alabama State Geologist) (Image Credit: AGI)
The event culminated on 22 September, when the scientists stormed the Hill to advocate for science. Their message highlighted the fact that steady federal budget support for scientific research and development — as well as STEM education — promotes long term economic growth, creates lasting jobs, and makes America competitive in the global marketplace. This message is especially compelling in the current economy. Scientists met with the legislative staff of their Senators and Representatives, and many were fortunate to speak with the Members of Congress. Notably, AGU members met with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), and Congressman Jo Bonner (R-AL). Participants also met with various committee staff in the House and Senate to discuss their research as it relates to the committees' activities. Todd Smith and Lars Dyrud, both space physicists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, Makenzie Lystrup, a planetary scientist at CU Boulder, and Shoshanna Cole from Cornell University, met with the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. It was an exciting and productive day for advocating Earth and space sciences.
AGU would like to thank its following members for participating in Geo-CVD 2010:
Jean Bahr, University of Wisconsin
Michela Biasutti, Lahmont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University
Kevin Brown, University of California, San Diego
Piers Chapman, Texas A&M University
Shoshanna Cole, Cornell University
Jim Connors, University of South Alabama
Lars Dyrud, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
Karl Flessa, University of Arizona
Kaiem Frink, Elizabeth City State University
Kaiyu Guan, Princeton University
Howard Harper, Society for Sedimentary Geology
Roberta Johnson, National Earth Science Teachers Association
Kelsey Jordahl, Marymount Manhattan College
Jen Kay, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Dalia Kirschbaum, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Bob Kleinberg, Schlumberger
Jon Lewis, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Xu Liang, University of Pittsburg
Makenzie Lystrup, Colorado University, Boulder
McConnell Vicki, Oregon Geological Survey
Foster Morrison, Turtle Hollow Associates
Gary Newhart, Environmental Protection Agency
Charles Podolak, Johns Hopkins University
Laurie Scheuing, Association for Women Geoscientists
Todd Smith, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
Jeff Stehr, University of Maryland
John Steinmetz, Indiana Geological Survey
Harvey Thorleifson, Minnesota Geological Survey
Debra Tillinger, Lahmont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University
David Vanko, Towson University
Clark Weaver, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mike Willis, Cornell University
Xiaozhen Xiong, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
You can view a short informational video about Geo-CVD here. Throughout the year, AGU scientists participate in several Congressional events, including exhibitions, briefings, and CVDs. AGU's next CVD is the Science-Engineering-Technology CVD (SET-CVD) on 6–7 April 2011. If you are interested in participating in any Congressional events with AGU, please contact Kaitlin Chell.