Be part of the discussion of the future of science and technology policy with leaders in the field.  

The annual AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy, now in its 39th year, is the conference for people interested in public policy issues facing the science, engineering, and higher education communities. It is the place where insiders go to learn what is happening and what is likely to happen in the coming year on the federal budget and the growing number of policy issues that affect researchers and their institutions. Come to the Forum, learn about the future of S&T policy, and engage with the people who will shape it. 

Who should attend? 

Scientists and engineers, research administrators, industrial R&D managers, policymakers, association officials, federal grant recipients, students, science diplomats, government affairs specialists, public affairs officers, science writers, and others with an interest in the intersection of policy with science and technology. 

Workshop Goals

• Identify strategies utilizing instructional technology to improve undergraduate geoscience student success.
• Develop action plans to implement strategies which promote student engagement and active learning.
• Equip instructors with tools to adopt and apply innovative instructional technologies to support student success.
• Strengthen a regional network of geoscience educators.

No cost for participants.

Workshop Goals

Showcase practical active learning techniques and teaching strategies that can be used in the classroom to engage students and support student success.
Explore on ramps and pathways to 2YC student research (class projects, community learning, independent projects, internships) and examine the roadblocks that 2YC students encounter when engaging in research.
Continue to build a local community of geoscience educators at the K-12, 2-year, and 4-year level that supports student success and transfer between institutions as well as best teaching practices in the classroom.

The AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships Program and Biodiversity Affinity Group are hosting a half-day long symposium to discuss the complexities and interdependence of Wildlife Trafficking and multi-factorial drivers. The illicit trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is now a multi-billion industry decimating iconic animal populations, undermining security across nations, and threatening ecosystems, food security, human health, and livelihoods among the world’s poorest communities. The symposium will gather together leading experts to discuss the challenges of developing, implementing, and evaluating policies addressing the impacts of wildlife trafficking on biodiversity, development, human health, law enforcement, and regional security. Experts from federal agencies, intergovernmental organizations, law enforcement groups, and NGOs will present on and discuss existing policies, policy successes and failures, and how to adaptively manage policy moving forward.

Outcomes will include assessments of existing domestic and international policy, and ways to communicate more effectively and coordinate efforts for combating the illegal trade in wildlife. Communicating accurate and reliable data on threats to wildlife populations from poaching and illicit global trade is critical for informing decision-makers and implementing effective conservation, monitoring, and law enforcement measures, with implications for improving regional security and economic prosperity. 

Student Focus

• Preparing students for the workforce
• Implementing differentiated teaching methods that work
• Identifying innovative best practices in Career Education
• Creating and maintaining business/industry/education partnerships and internships as a part of a meaningful and applied education experience for students

Industry Focus

• Contributing to economic development: how CTE makes it happen
• Providing opportunities for organizations to share their talents, resources, expertise, and real world projects by creating and maintaining business/industry/education partnerships and internships as a part of a meaningful and applied education experience for students to develop their 21st century skills

Teacher/Administrator/Counselor Focus

• Contributing to economic development: how CTE makes it happen
• Providing opportunities for organizations to share their talents, resources, expertise, and real world projects by creating and maintaining business/industry/education partnerships and internships as a part of a meaningful and applied education experience for students to develop their 21st century skills

Workshop Goals

Expose challenges in teaching under-prepared 2YC students (with a focus on quantitative and reading skills)
Discuss strategies for developing course materials for under-prepared students with math faculty, tutoring staff, and other student services representatives
Highlight technologies available to assist in teaching students with disabilities
Share experiences in adapting course materials for students with disabilities

The 11th Annual VESTA Curriculum Retreat brings together industry members, VESTA instructors and VESTA Management Team members to review, revise and refine the expansive VESTA grape, wine and entrepreneurship curriculum. In addition to a thorough review of the curriculum, the focus this year will be the identification of new approaches and technologies that should be imbedded in VESTA courses; identifying appropriate content and technical modules to be incorporated into the computer instructional vineyard and winery simulations; and development of targeted knowledge/skill assessment questions for competency evaluation. 

Panelists Maria Sosa, Matt Dembicki and Jason Rodriguez will discuss using the comics medium to present science and environmental issues. Matt will talk about his collaboration with Pangea Seed on the comics anthology Wild Ocean and his trip to Peru to talk to students and teachers about environmental comics. Jason will talk about his upcoming pilot program with Maria Sosa Senior Project Director from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) “Science Outreach Through Art and Comics.”