October 2023
On October 3, Alondra Nelson (Institute for Advanced Study) spoke at a special hybrid event for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Sections K and X, “Big Issues for Science Policy in a Challenging World.” The event was hosted by AERA in the AERA Convening Center. Nelson most recently served as the Deputy Director for Science and Society with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
The conversation was co-moderated by AERA Past President Barbara Schneider (immediate past chair, Section K; Michigan State University) and Adriana Bankston (Membership Engagement Chair, Section X; Senior Fellow, Federation of American Scientists). Attendees included representatives from scientific associations and research institutions as well as current and former government officials.
In her opening remarks, Nelson spoke to several of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities and accomplishments in science policy. Those accomplishments included the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government; focus on innovation for purpose, which included the enactment in 2022 of the CHIPS and Science Act; and using technology and scientific research to advance democratic values, including through the memorandum, “Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research.”
During audience Q&A, Nelson also highlighted the role that science can play to address societal challenges, even when there is a growing distrust of science. These areas included building evidence to support an inclusive and diverse STEM workforce, understanding data needs to understand what does and does not work, and elevating values of scientific integrity.
“We were thrilled to partner with AAAS Divisions K and X to host this compelling conversation,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “Dr. Nelson’s presentation and the dialogue that followed laid out the ‘perfect storm’ of challenges facing science and policy and offered important insights into paths through it.”
Click here to watch the webinar recording.