Meet with Your Lawmakers This Summer and Help Inform Science Policy
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The American Institute of Biological Sciences is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 10th annual Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event.
This national initiative is an opportunity for biologists across the country to meet with their federal or state elected officials to showcase the people, facilities, and equipment that are required to support and conduct scientific research. This initiative helps to put a face on science and to remind lawmakers that science is happening in their district and state.
The Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event enables scientists, graduate students, representatives of research facilities, and people affiliated with scientific collections to meet with their federal or state elected officials without traveling to Washington, DC. Participants may either invite their elected officials to visit their research facility or can meet at the policymaker's local office.
“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. 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.”
Erin Larson
Cornell University
2016 participant
AIBS will schedule meetings for participants with lawmakers and will prepare participants through online training and one-on-one support. Meetings will take place mid-July through October, depending on the participant’s schedule.
The event is made possible by the American Institute of Biological Sciences, with the support of event sponsors American Society of Naturalists, Botanical Society of America, Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Helminthological Society of Washington, Natural Science Collections Alliance, Paleontological Society, Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, and Society for the Study of Evolution.
Registration closes on July 19, 2018. To register, visit https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/congressional_district_visits.html. Individual registration for participation is free, but required.
Please share this announcement with interested colleagues and graduate students.