Summer 2010
Activist Diary
Finding Our Next Scientific Leaders
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| UCS board member Jamie Hoyte speaks to a group of young scientists at an event in Cambridge, MA |
The Union of Concerned Scientists was formed in 1969 as a vehicle for scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to protest the militarization of scientific research and promote science in the public interest. Many of these young scientists built UCS into the influential organization it is today. To ensure our future success, we must continue to engage new generations of scientists and tap into their expertise, energy, and insights.
Last summer, after I had received my master’s degree in restoration ecology, UCS invited me to join its outreach staff and help build relationships with early-career scientists, engineers, and health professionals. I happily accepted, confident that UCS was well suited to help young scientists who want to get involved in public policy but don’t have the training or resources to do so effectively.
No Generation Gap Here
The first step was to learn more about young scientists’ interests and goals and, importantly, to better understand how they communicate and get their information. In speaking with graduate students and post-docs from across the country, it became clear that they are very interested in the policy arena but often feel torn between that type of work and an academic career. They are also interested in networking with established scientists who walk the line between academics and public policy, and want training in non-research skills such as engaging in policy debates and communicating with the media.
Based on this feedback, we planned a number of events to bring young scientists together and introduce them to UCS experts and issues. The first was a reception in Cambridge, MA, at which more than 70 attendees met with UCS analysts and policy experts. We also hosted a dinner discussion in Washington, DC, attended by about 20 local graduate student leaders and professors.
Partnerships for the Future
In the year since I began working on this initiative, we have engaged hundreds of new graduate students and post-docs in our work, from a range of disciplines including engineering, molecular biology, and neuropsychology. We have hosted in-person trainings, organized conference calls to keep scientists informed of policy developments, and sent UCS staff to speak to campus groups on a variety of issues.
These efforts have started to bear fruit: most recently, two graduate students at Harvard took it upon themselves to write a sign-on letter calling for federal action on global warming. After seeking advice from our climate outreach staff, they gathered signatures from Harvard faculty, delivered the signed statement to their senators, and alerted local media outlets to their work.
| In this issue of Catalyst:
> The Weight of the Evidence |
One of the developments I am most proud of is our partnership with the Ecological Society of America’s (ESA’s) Student Section. We are co-sponsoring an Ecoservice Award that will recognize young ecologists who engage in activities outside their research (such as volunteering in their communities or working in their local governments). We will be presenting this award at the ESA annual conference in Pittsburgh this August. To me, this partnership exemplifies the unique ability of UCS to bridge the academic, policy, and advocacy worlds.
—Calen May-Tobin, Scientific Integrity Program intern
Calling all scientists! Visit the UCS website to sign up for our online Scient Network, or learn how you can advance your career in science and policy (www.ucsusa.org/youngscientists).
