Diversity Initiatives in Stem: Brown Bag Lunch
Science Policy Group is hosting a brown bag lunch discussion on diversity policy initiatives in STEM! The goal of this discussion is to introduce policies that promote diversity in STEM (such as NSF’s Broadening Participation Initiatives), to understand how these policies were drafted, and to evaluate their ability to recruit underrepresented groups to STEM fields.
Prof. Jennifer Greene from the Educational Psychology Department and Dr. Ellen Wang Althaus, Director of Graduate Diversity in the Department of Chemistry, will be guiding the discussion.
Date and time: Wednesday, April 19th 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Venue: Asian American Cultural Center, 1210 W. Nevada St., Urbana, IL
Bring your own lunch (if desired), coffee and cookies will be served
RSVP: https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/3313674 (space is limited!)
Contact Cecilia Gentle at gentle2@illinois.edu with any questions.
April Events
Our monthly email can be found here: http://illinois.edu/emailer/newsletter/126214.html
Subscribe here: https://illinois.edu/gm/subscribe/43447
Call a Representative Day
The Advocacy Committee has organized Call a Representative Day for members of our campus community to contact their elected officials because of significant cuts to federal funding for research in President Trump’s budget proposal. Stop by for a few minutes to receive the contact information for your representatives and talking points for urging your representatives to stand up for science funding!
Date and time: Monday, April 10th 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Venue: 104 Illini Union
Brown Bag Lunch – Diversity Initiatives in STEM
Science Policy Group is hosting a brown bag lunch discussion on diversity policy initiatives in STEM. The goal of this discussion is to introduce policies that promote diversity in STEM (such as NSF’s Broadening Participation Initiatives), to understand how these policies were drafted, and to evaluate their ability to recruit underrepresented groups to STEM fields.
Prof. Jennifer Greene from the Educational Psychology Department and Dr. Ellen Wang Althaus, Director of Graduate Diversity in the Department of Chemistry, will be guiding the discussion.
Date and time: Wednesday, April 19th 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Venue: Asian American Cultural Center, 1210 W. Nevada St., Urbana, IL
Bring your own lunch (if desired), coffee and cookies will be served
RSVP: https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/3313674 (space is limited!)
Call A Representative Day
Stop by our Call A Representative Day this upcoming Monday April 10th at the Illini Union Room 104 from 9 am – 5 pm!
The proposed federal budget features alarming cuts to science. This funding is what brings about new discoveries that help us progress as a society and provide better quality of life to its citizens. We all can play a role in keeping funding where we need it. Drop by the Illini Union for Call a Rep Day. It’s as simple as taking 5 minutes to call your rep and telling them why funding science is important to you. We’ll have the phone number of your rep and some talking points in case you aren’t sure of what to say. Stand up for science, call your rep!
What has been proposed:
o NIH funding cut by 18% or
o EPA funding cut by 31%
o $1.7 billion cut from the Department of Energy
o NOAA’s funding cut by 17%
o Call for NASA to focus on “deep-space exploration rather than Earth-centric research”
o Elimination of funding towards climate change research
Reference: Nature 543, 471–472 (23 March 2017) doi:10.1038/nature.2017.21652
http://www.nature.com/news/us-science-agencies-face-deep-cuts-in-trump-budget-1.21652
Talking points: https://uofi.box.com/s/jttnrjnms35df3wwqh4efcz1o0wt9srx
Pictures: https://flic.kr/s/aHskTTHTAf
JSPG Submissions
University of Illinois Student Day at the Capitol
Check out these two visit days! Join fellow student leaders and classmates at the annual University of Illinois Student Days at the Capitol.
March 22nd registration deadline: https://uialumniassociation.org/2017/02/20/u-of-i-student-day-at-the-capitol/https://uialumniassociation.org/2017/02/20/u-of-i-student-day-at-the-capitol/
May 3rd registration deadline: http://www.cvent.com/events/2017-day-at-the-capitol-springfield/event-summary-81fff9021b7447dda7b410f3f9ab31e8.aspx
Sustainability and Science Policy
The Science Policy Group has recently been awarded funding for a proposal submitted to the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)! This proposal outlines a project that first aims to educate the campus and community about how science policies relate to sustainability. Then, it gives students the opportunity to learn how to influence policy decisions and communicate with lawmakers through an interactive workshop. Finally, those students can apply their skills by volunteering with an established sustainability advocacy group. Thanks Ryan, Courtney, and Kali for all your hard work in the application process!
Follow us on Facebook and twitter for more updates about this upcoming project.
Getting economics into environmental policy: Multiple levels of experience
Join us for our second event this upcoming Thursday, March 16th at 4 p.m. in the ACES Library Monsanto Studio!
Scholars often speak of how their research has policy implications, but how does one actually influence policy? Professor Amy Ando from the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics will identify multiple levels in the U.S. system of government and multiple stages in the policy formation process at which policy can be affected. Professor Ando has participated in expert advisory workshops related to stormwater and wildlife habitat policy for the EPA and the USDA (respectively). In addition, she served for several years on the Advisory Committee for the Environment Program at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and on advisory groups to help the City of Chicago form and evaluate stormwater initiatives.
Visit our Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1607776109238921/
View pictures here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskTYBcgs
What Does a Trump Administration Mean for Science?
UIUC’s newly formed Science Policy Group is hosting a panel discussion that will anticipate changes to science policy during the incoming administration! Join graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty across STEM to hear from our panelists, Prof. Jonathan Coppess (Agricultural and Consumer Econ.), Prof. Clifford Singer (Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Eng.), and Prof. Donald Wuebbles (Atmospheric Science).
Friday, January 27, 4 pm, Chemical and Life Sciences Laboratory B102
More details and updates at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1796820367234963/
View pictures of the event: here
Our event summary: here
Join a Committee in UIUC’s Science Policy Group
The Science Policy Group held its first executive board meeting in November! Our events will be divided into three main objectives: to inform students about current science policy topics, to equip them with the skills needed to communicate effectively about these issues, and to help them advocate for change in specific science policies. Thus, we have 3 committees to work on these various projects – tentatively called the inform, equip, and advocate committees.
Given the current events in Washington, the driving force for us to create a vibrant science policy space on campus is greater than ever. We are dreaming big, but our vision depends on effective work at the committee level. With enough people on the committees, the work can be divided up to make this a manageable time commitment. Committees will meet monthly, at a day/time TBD by committee members. If you are interested, please sign up for a committee via this Google Form. The results are open to view so you can see how many people have signed up and decide accordingly. https://goo.gl/forms/8SHXm51RVrDBy93x1