Recent Accomplishments

The teaching of evolution, the funding of the Biological Sciences Directorate of NSF, the development and maintenance of university natural science collections and national research infrastructure for biology, and legislation that would significantly affect the ability of society publications to keep the presses rolling — these are only a subset of the issues in which the AIBS Public Policy Office staff have been making contributions in recent years. The following details some of our most notable accomplishments:

• Worked independently as well as through coalitions to ensure that recently passed legislation authorizing the programs and funding levels for the National Science Foundation did not include provisions that would hinder biological, environmental and social science research.

• Contributed to numerous national and state level efforts to defend the teaching of evolution in public school science courses. AIBS has submitted legal briefs in key cases and has worked to educate the media and the public about the nature of science.

• Assisted the Association of Ecosystem Research Centers in planning and conducting science briefings on Capitol Hill, including a very successful briefing, "Ecosystem Science: Informing a Sound Bioenergy Policy".

• Launched and co-chairs the USGS Coalition, designed to bring awareness to the US Geological Survey's crucial work in biology and other disciplines. In 2005 the Coalition won the USGS's John Wesley Powell Award for its efforts.

• Launched and co-chairs the Biological and Ecological Sciences Coalition (BESC), which helped to persuade Congress to authorize a doubling of the National Science Foundation budget.

• Provided policy and media training programs for researchers, educators, and students. Representatives of the Public Policy Office have conducted workshops at AIBS annual meetings as well as those of many member societies.

• Established the Emerging Public Policy Leader Award for graduate students. Recipients of the award are brought to Washington, DC, to attend Congressional and White House briefings and participate in meetings with members of Congress.

• Delivered testimony before Congress, organized Congressional briefings and one-on-one meetings with legislators, and developed action alerts and society responses to proposed legislation and regulations.

Help us keep the momentum: Support the AIBS Public Policy Office so that, working together and speaking with one voice, we can better and more effectively promote the biological sciences.