American Association For The Advancement Of Science

THE AAAS SEEKS TO "ADVANCE SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND INNOVATION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL PEOPLE." TO FULFILL THIS MISSION, THE AAAS BOARD HAS SET THE FOLLOWING BROAD GOALS:ENHANCE COMMUNICATION AMONG SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, AND THE PUBLIC;PROMOTE AND DEFEND THE INTEGRITY OF SCIENCE AND ITS USE;STRENGTHEN SUPPORT FOR THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE;PROVIDE A VOICE FOR SCIENCE ON SOCIETAL ISSUES;PROMOTE THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC POLICY;STRENGTHEN AND DIVERSIFY THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE;FOSTER EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERYONE;INCREASE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; ANDADVANCE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN SCIENCE.

SCIENCE JOURNALS AND NEWSSCIENCE IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING OUTLETS FOR SCIENTIFIC NEWS, COMMENTARY, AND CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH, WITH THE LARGEST PAID CIRCULATION OF ANY PEER-REVIEWED GENERAL-SCIENCE JOURNAL. THROUGH ITS PRINT AND ONLINE INCARNATIONS, SCIENCE REACHES AN ESTIMATED WORLDWIDE READERSHIP OF MORE THAN ONE MILLION. IN CONTENT, THE JOURNAL IS TRULY INTERNATIONAL IN SCOPE: SOME 35 TO 40 PERCENT OF THE CORRESPONDING AUTHORS ON ITS PAPERS ARE BASED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. AND ITS ARTICLES CONSISTENTLY RANK AMONG WORLD'S MOST CITED RESEARCH. IN 2021, IN THE FACE OF ONGOING CHALLENGES BROUGHT ON BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AAAS AND THE SCIENCE FAMILY OF JOURNALS CONTINUED TO HELP LEAD THE FIGHT TO SPEED RESEARCH RELATED TO THE VIRUS AND TO KEEP THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, POLICYMAKERS, JOURNALISTS AND THE PUBLIC INFORMED WITH UPDATED AND POTENTIALLY LIFESAVING INFORMATION. AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IN ITS NEWS SECTION, SCIENCE REPORTED ON PIVOTAL RESEARCH AND KEY DEVELOPMENTS AROUND GLOBAL VACCINE EFFORTS.THE SCIENCE FAMILY OF JOURNALS INCLUDES SCIENCE SIGNALING, THE LEADING JOURNAL OF CELL SIGNALING AND REGULATORY BIOLOGY; SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, INTEGRATING MEDICINE, ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE TO PROMOTE HUMAN HEALTH; SCIENCE ADVANCES, AN INNOVATIVE AND HIGH-QUALITY OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL FOR ALL THE SCIENCES; SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY, RESEARCH ARTICLES THAT REPORT CRITICAL ADVANCES IN ALL AREAS OF IMMUNOLOGICAL RESEARCH, INCLUDING IMPORTANT NEW TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES; AND SCIENCE ROBOTICS, ORIGINAL, PEER-REVIEWED, SCIENCE- OR ENGINEERING-BASED RESEARCH ARTICLES THAT ADVANCE THE FIELD OF ROBOTICS.

CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY IN STEMMAAAS IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO, AND BENEFIT FROM, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING BY ENCOURAGING THE RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND RETENTION OF SCIENTISTS. AAAS PROVIDES TOOLS THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO STEMM EDUCATION, STRENGTHEN AND DIVERSIFY THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE, AND AMPLIFY UNDERREPRESENTED AND MARGINALIZED VOICES WITHIN STEMM.THE AAAS STEMM EQUITY ACHIEVEMENT (SEA CHANGE) PROGRAM HELPS A GROWING NUMBER OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES UNDERGO A RIGOROUS PROCESS TO ASSESS THEIR OWN CULTURE, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT STAND IN THE WAY OF ACCESS AND SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF FROM GROUPS THAT ARE MARGINALIZED IN STEMM. FROM THIS SELF-ASSESSMENT, THE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS PLAN AND IMPLEMENT CHANGES THAT BREAK DOWN BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXCLUDED OR MARGINALIZED BASED ON THEIR GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY, DISABILITY STATUS OR ANY OTHER ASPECT OF IDENTITY. SEA CHANGE WELCOMED NEW CHARTER MEMBERS IN 2021, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING DEI TO 26.THE AAAS IF/THEN AMBASSADORS, 125 WOMEN FROM A VARIETY OF STEM CAREERS WHO SERVE AS HIGH-PROFILE ROLE MODELS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS, COMPLETED MORE THAN 90 DIFFERENT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS. AMBASSADORS WERE CELEBRATED IN #IFTHENSHECAN - THE EXHIBIT, A COLLECTION OF 120 3D PRINTED STATUES OF THE AMBASSADORS THAT CONTAINS THE MOST STATUES OF REAL WOMEN EVER ASSEMBLED IN ONE PLACE. THE EXHIBIT DEBUTED IN 2021 AT NORTHPARK CENTER IN DALLAS, TEXAS, BEFORE MOVING TO MUSEUMS IN AND AROUND THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IN 2022.THE AAAS MASS MEDIA SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FELLOWSHIP AND THE AAAS DIVERSE VOICES IN SCIENCE JOURNALISM PROGRAM ALLOW SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS TO SPEND THEIR SUMMER AS SCIENCE JOURNALISTS IN NEWSROOMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. NOW IN ITS 47TH YEAR, THE MASS MEDIA FELLOWSHIP HAS PLACED MORE THAN 700 SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS. TWENTY-NINE MASS MEDIA FELLOWS WERE SPONSORED BY A SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY OR FOUNDATION IN 2021 AND TWO DIVERSE VOICES IN SCIENCE JOURNALISM INTERNS SPENT THE SUMMER COVERING NEWS STORIES FOR SCIENCE.THE DIALOGUE ON SCIENCE, ETHICS, AND RELIGION PROGRAM IS FACILITATING DIALOGUE BETWEEN SCIENTIFIC AND RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS SCIENTISTS AND FAITH LEADERS IN ENGAGING QUESTIONS OF SCIENCE, ETHICS, AND RELIGION WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND WITH THE PUBLIC.

SCIENCE INFORMING POLICYAAAS WORKS TO BRING EVIDENCE-BASED INFORMATION TO THE POLICY DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR WORLD. A RANGE OF PROGRAMS COMMUNICATES THE STANCE OF AAAS ON CRITICAL SOCIETAL ISSUES, HELPS SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ENGAGE WITH DECISIONMAKERS AND PROVIDES THEM WITH DISTILLED SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON THE MANY SCIENCE-RELATED TOPICS THEY ENCOUNTER. AAAS PROGRAMS ALSO HELP SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ADVOCATE FOR THE FUNDING AND CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR A ROBUST SCIENTIFIC ENTERPRISE.FOR 49 YEARS, THE AAAS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLICY FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM HAS PLACED THOUSANDS OF OUTSTANDING SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FEDERAL POLICYMAKING PROCESS AND TO BE PREPARED TO DEVELOP AND EXECUTE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. TODAY, THE PROGRAM PLACES NEARLY 300 FELLOWS EACH YEAR IN CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES, FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT. IN 2021, FELLOWS CONTRIBUTED TO PANDEMIC-RELATED POLICIES BY ORGANIZING VACCINE DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AND URGING USE OF THE U.S. DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT TO MANUFACTURE RAPID COVID-19 TESTS.THE AAAS CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IN PUBLIC ISSUES OR EPI CENTER, WHICH DISTILLS SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION FOR POLICYMAKERS, FOCUSED ON CRITICAL ISSUES IN 2021 - FROM GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO PFAS TO ELECTION SECURITY. THE EPI CENTER REACHED MORE THAN 638 ATTENDEES FROM 48 STATES THROUGH WORKSHOPS ON THE SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS FOUND IN THE DRINKING WATER CONSUMED BY MILLIONS OF AMERICANS KNOWN AS PFAS. THE CENTER ALSO SUMMARIZED EVIDENCE ON THE RISKS OF INTERNET VOTING FOR 216 DECISION-MAKERS IN KEY STATES.THE AAAS LOCAL SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT NETWORK IS SETTING UP NETWORKS IN STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES AND STATE POLICYMAKERS IN IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES RAISED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. WORKING WITH PARTNERS IN MISSOURI, COLORADO, MAINE, AND GEORGIA, THE NETWORK AIMS TO INTEGRATE SCIENTISTS WITH LOCAL AND STATE POLICYMAKERS, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE PUBLIC TO LEVERAGE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND INFORM EFFORTS TO ADVANCE REGIONAL RESPONSES TO THESE CRITICAL CLIMATE ISSUES. AAAS IS A LEADING SOURCE FOR DATA AND TIMELY ANALYSIS OF TRENDS IN U.S. FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) FUNDING. SINCE 1976, WE HAVE SERVED AS A GO-TO RESOURCE FOR THOSE SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND LONG-TERM CHANGES AND RECENT POLICY DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING FEDERAL SCIENCE BUDGETS. EACH YEAR WE ANALYZE THE U.S. PRESIDENT'S BUDGET REQUEST, MONITOR CONGRESSIONAL DEBATES AND BILLS, AND KEEP AN EYE ON LONGER-TERM R&D BUDGET TRENDS IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE TIMELY AND OBJECTIVE INFORMATION AND PERSPECTIVES FOR POLICYMAKERS AND THE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING COMMUNITY.GOLDEN GOOSE AWARDS, FOUNDED BY AAAS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, RECOGNIZE FEDERALLY FUNDED BASIC SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS THAT MAY HAVE SOUNDED ODD OR OBSCURE BUT HAVE RESULTED IN CONSIDERABLE BENEFITS TO SOCIETY. IN 2021, THE WINNERS WERE HONORED FOR THEIR WORK THAT HAS RESULTED IN UNFORESEEN IMPACTS ON HEALTH AND MEDICINE, INCLUDING RESEARCH ON MRNA THAT SERVED AS THE BASIS FOR THE FIRST TWO COVID-19 VACCINES APPROVED IN THE UNITED STATES. THE CATALYZING ADVOCACY IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING WORKSHOP IS OPEN TO UNIVERSITIES AND PROFESSIONAL SCIENTIFIC OR ENGINEERING SOCIETIES THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE POLICY. IN 2021, THE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP ADDRESSED IMPORTANT TOPICS INCLUDING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET PROCESS, THE ROLE OF CONGRESS IN SETTING A VISION FOR A NATIONAL S&T POLICY, AND DIFFERENT WAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR SCIENCE.

COMMUNICATING SCIENCE TO BUILD TRUST AND OTHERAAAS SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES AND PROMOTES SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AMONG DIVERSE AUDIENCES AND STAKEHOLDERS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AAAS DISCUSSES THE LATEST SCIENCE NEWS WITH REPORTERS, PROVIDES COMMUNICATION TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS, AND FACILITATES RESEARCH-PRACTICE COLLABORATION IN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. SCILINE, AN EDITORIALLY INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN AND NONPROFIT SERVICE THAT CONNECTS JOURNALISTS AND SCIENTISTS, CONTINUED WITH ITS GOAL OF GETTING MORE VALIDATED SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION INTO THE NEWS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SCILINE ASSISTED JOURNALISTS WITH QUICK CONNECTIONS TO SCIENTIST SOURCES, BROADCAST INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES, MEDIA BRIEFINGS WITH EXPERTS, FREE VIDEOS AND TRANSCRIPTS, AND BACKGROUND SCIENCE EXPLAINERS TO PROVIDE TRUSTWORTHY FACTS AND CONTEXT. IN 2021, SCILINE CONNECTED MORE THAN 650 REPORTERS IN 46 STATES WITH SCIENTISTS AND MORE THAN 300 REQUESTS CAME FROM REPORTERS COVERING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.HELD ANNUALLY, THE AAAS COMMUNICATING SCIENCE WORKSHOPS HELP SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT POPULAR ATTITUDES AND CONCERNS ABOUT CRITICAL ISSUES AND EMPHASIZING MUTUAL LISTENING AND DIALOGUE. USING METHODS BASED ON THE LATEST SCIENCE COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, THE AAAS CENTER FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS OFFERED MORE THAN 450 WORKSHOPS AND OTHER EVENTS TO MORE THAN 15,000 SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS WORLDWIDE.HUMAN RIGHTS, LAW & ETHICS: AAAS HAS A LONG-STANDING COMMITMENT TO CULTIVATE RESPONSIBLE SCIENCE IN THE SERVICE OF SOCIETY AND BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN SCIENCE AND THE GREATER PUBLIC. IT FOSTERS AND FACILITATES THE RESPONSIBLE PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF SCIENCE IN THE SERVICE OF SOCIETY AND ADDRESSES LEGAL, ETHICAL, AND HUMAN RIGHTS CONSIDERATIONS TO WHICH SCIENCE GIVES RISE. QUESTIONS OF VALUES, ETHICS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LAW ARE RAISED BY THE EMERGENCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES. INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND SCIENCE DIPLOMACY: AAAS PROMOTES THE USE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES THAT SPAN REGIONS AND CROSS DISCIPLINES. IT HAS FORGED NEW INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, SUPPORTED RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS, AND ENCOURAGED INNOVATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. IN 2021, OUR INTERNATIONAL AND SCIENCE DIPLOMACY PROGRAMS LED VIGOROUS EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE SCIENTIFIC AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMUNITIES.