Ecological Society of America's President Scott Collins is quoted in
an article in the current BioScience, on the topic of advocacy by
scientists. (Free access,
http://www.access.aibs.org/?page=BioScienceindex, the Washington Watch column)
"Scott Collins, a regents' professor of biology at the University of
New Mexico, has been an active participant in congressional meetings,
science briefings, and letter-writing campaigns. "Everything we do
depends on what happens in Congress," said Collins. "As a community,
we have not been very effective in getting our message across."
Although Collins recognizes that each individual letter may not
always have an impact in Congress, collective action by researchers
does. "Congress makes a lot of decisions about ecology, and
scientists need to be at the table when decisions are made," said Collins.
The involvement of researchers is especially important in terms of
federal investments in science, according to Collins. "If Congress
does not hear from the scientific community about funding [for
science], it is that much easier for our programs to be cut" during
the congressional appropriations process.
The 113th Congress convenes this month, during which lawmakers will
begin to debate numerous policies that will affect biological
research and education. How beneficial or detrimental those policies
are will depend, in part, on the input of the scientific community."
Given the impact that the current budget impasse ("sequestration") is
already having at NSF and other federal agencies that are funding
sources for ecological research, this is probably an opportune time
for you to contact your elected representatives if you're concerned
about science funding.
If you don't know your congressional representatives, here are two
sites to help get you started: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/general/one_item_and_teasers/contacting.htm
David Inouye
Dr. David W. Inouye, Professor
Associate Chair, Director of Graduate Studies
Dept. of Biology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-4415
Rocky Mtn. Biological Laboratory
PO Box 519
Crested Butte, CO 81224
[email protected]
301-405-6946
2013-14 President-elect, Ecological Society of America
