STEM professionals utilize established routes of science advocacy in United States
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STEM professionals utilize established routes of science advocacy in United States
T
he seemingly rapid politicization of science within the US Congress and the Trump administration’s significant changes and proposed deep budget cuts across the science agencies (see MRS Bulletin, August 2017) have jolted many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals off the sidelines and onto the frontlines of science advocacy. Many have joined grassroots movements such as the March for Science (see MRS Bulletin, July 2017), and the number of scientists participating in established advocacy efforts in the United States has steadily been on the rise. A number of scientific societies and institutions have long played an active role in science advocacy. “Through consistent and insistent contact, you lay the groundwork to be the first to come to mind when a relevant issue comes up,” says Damon Dozier, Government Affairs Director of MRS. This has led to the building of relationships with policymakers as well as the establishment of a number of different advocacy methods that are now readily available to STEM professionals. Through an effort called Materials Voice, MRS developed a method that allows its US-based members to find contact information for their elected officials as well as use an online platform to directly write to their legislators. In addition, the Grassroots Subcommittee of the MRS Government Affairs Committee (GAC) follows current issues that impact the materials community and drafts letters that address these issues. At each MRS Meeting, GAC hosts a booth where members can sign and send these letters on key issues and/or draft and send their own letters. At the recent 2017 MRS Spring Meeting held in Phoenix, Ariz., 1025 letters were sent from members to their elected representatives. These letters addressed two current issues—sustained funding for scientific research and long-term support
for federal energy and manufacturing programs. “I am a strong proponent for our letter-writing campaigns because it is perhaps the most impactful way that we can bundle collective sentiment among our membership on important R&D [research and development] and materials issues and deliver a cohesive message to elected officials as concerned citizens and constituents,” says Brent Carey, chair of the MRS Grassroots Subcommittee. The letters were especially timely because they reached legislators’ offices during the period when Congress was working on appropriations legislation for the remainder of 2017. The president’s proposed budget would have scaled back significant funding for most of the federal science agencies, but the omnibus Appropriations bill enacted by Congress included an overall increase (~5%) in these budgets. A second well-established avenue of advocacy is meeting with legislators or their staff members. With advanced notice, most congressional offices will schedule a meeting with their constituents or work to accommodate drop-in meetings as staffing allows. Many scientific societies and in
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