- Nov. 23, 2017: Letter about Negative Impacts of the Proposed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
- July 31, 2017: Letter sent to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt about climate change
- June 9, 2017: Letter sent to NSF Director over elimination of Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants (from 3 organizations)
- May 23, 2017: Letter sent to US Congress on science funding (from 41 organizations)
- Jan 31, 2017: Letter sent to US President Trump about restrictions on science (from 3 organizations)
- Jan 31, 2017: Letter sent to US President Trump about visas (from 164 organizations)
- Dec 22, 2016: Letter sent to US President-elect Trump on the role of science (from 63 organizations)
- Jun 28, 2016: Letter sent to US Congress on scientific consensus on climate change (from 31 organizations)
Nov. 23, 2017
Negative Impacts of the Proposed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
We are writing as the presidents of the Society for the Study of Evolution (2,674 members), the American Society of Naturalists (1,323 members), and the Society of Systematic Biologists (700 members) to express significant concerns regarding the proposed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. If the deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses is repealed, taxes will greatly increase for many graduate students, such that pursuing a doctoral degree in the United States may no longer be financially feasible.
As you may know, most PhD students in the United States receive a small stipend, which is taxed as income, to cover living expenses while conducting research. Many also receive a tuition waiver in exchange for working as a teaching assistant or research assistant.
If the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is passed, and students’ tuition is taxed, graduate students’ tax burden will increase by roughly 30 to 60 percent for students at public universities, and 200 to 400 percent for students at private universities, where tuition is typically much higher [1]. This tax burden would be more than a third of a student’s salary at a private university. Such a change would make pursuing a doctoral degree prohibitively expensive for many students.
Graduate students are invaluable players in the field of scientific research. Taxing tuition will prevent many from finishing their work, leaving their programs without a degree. Many more will be prevented from entering into a doctoral program. These changes would decimate advanced education in the United States.
To ensure the continuation of valuable research by graduate students across the country, please preserve the deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.
Sincerely, Sally Otto
Society for the Study of Evolution
Kathleen Donohue
American Society of Naturalists
Luke Harmon
Society of Systematic Biologists
[1]. “How Does the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” Affect Ph.D. Students?” by Vetri Velan, Ph.D. student in Physics at UC Berkeley: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e3oIk8AO9F_UL98z5cieKha1V5e9azzB/view
Negative Impacts of the Proposed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
We are writing as the presidents of the Society for the Study of Evolution (2,674 members), the American Society of Naturalists (1,323 members), and the Society of Systematic Biologists (700 members) to express significant concerns regarding the proposed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. If the deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses is repealed, taxes will greatly increase for many graduate students, such that pursuing a doctoral degree in the United States may no longer be financially feasible.
As you may know, most PhD students in the United States receive a small stipend, which is taxed as income, to cover living expenses while conducting research. Many also receive a tuition waiver in exchange for working as a teaching assistant or research assistant.
If the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is passed, and students’ tuition is taxed, graduate students’ tax burden will increase by roughly 30 to 60 percent for students at public universities, and 200 to 400 percent for students at private universities, where tuition is typically much higher [1]. This tax burden would be more than a third of a student’s salary at a private university. Such a change would make pursuing a doctoral degree prohibitively expensive for many students.
Graduate students are invaluable players in the field of scientific research. Taxing tuition will prevent many from finishing their work, leaving their programs without a degree. Many more will be prevented from entering into a doctoral program. These changes would decimate advanced education in the United States.
To ensure the continuation of valuable research by graduate students across the country, please preserve the deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.
Sincerely, Sally Otto
Society for the Study of Evolution
Kathleen Donohue
American Society of Naturalists
Luke Harmon
Society of Systematic Biologists
[1]. “How Does the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” Affect Ph.D. Students?” by Vetri Velan, Ph.D. student in Physics at UC Berkeley: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e3oIk8AO9F_UL98z5cieKha1V5e9azzB/view
July 31, 2017
The Honorable Scott Pruitt
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20460
Dear Administrator Pruitt:
As leaders of professional scientific societies with our collective membership of hundreds of thousands of scientists, we are writing in response to reports that you are working to develop a “red team/blue team” process that challenges climate science.
We write to remind you of the ongoing research, testing, evaluations, and debates that happen on a regular basis in every scientific discipline. The peer review process itself is a constant means of scientists putting forth research results, getting challenged, and revising them based on evidence. Indeed, science is a multi-dimensional, competitive “red team/blue team” process whereby scientists and scientific teams are constantly challenging one another’s findings for robustness. The current scientific understanding of climate change is based on decades of such work, along with overarching, carefully evaluated assessments within the United States and internationally.
As a reflection of that work, 31 scientific societies last year released a letter, updated from 2009, to reflect the current scientific consensus on climate change. We urge you to give its text consideration, along with America’s Climate Choices, the work of our premier United States scientific body, the National Academy of Sciences.
Of course, climate science, like all sciences, is an ever-changing discipline: our knowledge is always advancing. Robust discussion about data interpretation, methodology, and findings are part of daily scientific discourse. That is how science progresses. However, the integrity of the scientific process cannot thrive when policymakers—regardless of party affiliation—use policy disagreements as a pretext to challenge scientific conclusions.
Given your interest in the state of climate science, we would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to better understand your perspective and rationale for the proposed activity; and to discuss climate science, including which areas are at the frontiers of scientific knowledge and which are well-established because of thousands of studies from multiple lines of evidence.
We look forward to hearing from you, and your office may contact Lexi Shultz ([email protected]), Kasey White ([email protected]), or Joanne Carney ([email protected]) to coordinate a meeting.
Sincerely,
Rush D. Holt, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Robert Gropp, Ph.D.
Co-Executive Director
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Chris McEntee
Executive Director and CEO American Geophysical Union
Ellen Bergfeld, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer American Society of Agronomy Crop Science Society of America Soil Science Society of America
Brian Crother, Ph.D.
President Elect
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Crispin B. Taylor, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
American Society of Plant Biologists
Barry D. Nussbaum, Ph.D. President
American Statistical Association
Olin E. Rhodes, Jr., Ph.D.
President
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
Linda Duguay, Ph.D.
President
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
Robin L. Chazdon, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Katherine S. McCarter Executive Director
Ecological Society of America
David Gammel
Executive Director
Entomological Society of America
Vicki McConnell, Ph.D. Executive Director
Geological Society of America
Paul Foster, Ph.D.
President
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Raymond Mejía
Society for Mathematical Biology
Luke Harmon, Ph.D.
President
Society of Systematic Biologists
The Honorable Scott Pruitt
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20460
Dear Administrator Pruitt:
As leaders of professional scientific societies with our collective membership of hundreds of thousands of scientists, we are writing in response to reports that you are working to develop a “red team/blue team” process that challenges climate science.
We write to remind you of the ongoing research, testing, evaluations, and debates that happen on a regular basis in every scientific discipline. The peer review process itself is a constant means of scientists putting forth research results, getting challenged, and revising them based on evidence. Indeed, science is a multi-dimensional, competitive “red team/blue team” process whereby scientists and scientific teams are constantly challenging one another’s findings for robustness. The current scientific understanding of climate change is based on decades of such work, along with overarching, carefully evaluated assessments within the United States and internationally.
As a reflection of that work, 31 scientific societies last year released a letter, updated from 2009, to reflect the current scientific consensus on climate change. We urge you to give its text consideration, along with America’s Climate Choices, the work of our premier United States scientific body, the National Academy of Sciences.
Of course, climate science, like all sciences, is an ever-changing discipline: our knowledge is always advancing. Robust discussion about data interpretation, methodology, and findings are part of daily scientific discourse. That is how science progresses. However, the integrity of the scientific process cannot thrive when policymakers—regardless of party affiliation—use policy disagreements as a pretext to challenge scientific conclusions.
Given your interest in the state of climate science, we would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to better understand your perspective and rationale for the proposed activity; and to discuss climate science, including which areas are at the frontiers of scientific knowledge and which are well-established because of thousands of studies from multiple lines of evidence.
We look forward to hearing from you, and your office may contact Lexi Shultz ([email protected]), Kasey White ([email protected]), or Joanne Carney ([email protected]) to coordinate a meeting.
Sincerely,
Rush D. Holt, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Robert Gropp, Ph.D.
Co-Executive Director
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Chris McEntee
Executive Director and CEO American Geophysical Union
Ellen Bergfeld, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer American Society of Agronomy Crop Science Society of America Soil Science Society of America
Brian Crother, Ph.D.
President Elect
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Crispin B. Taylor, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
American Society of Plant Biologists
Barry D. Nussbaum, Ph.D. President
American Statistical Association
Olin E. Rhodes, Jr., Ph.D.
President
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
Linda Duguay, Ph.D.
President
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
Robin L. Chazdon, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Katherine S. McCarter Executive Director
Ecological Society of America
David Gammel
Executive Director
Entomological Society of America
Vicki McConnell, Ph.D. Executive Director
Geological Society of America
Paul Foster, Ph.D.
President
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Raymond Mejía
Society for Mathematical Biology
Luke Harmon, Ph.D.
President
Society of Systematic Biologists
Letter to the NSF about the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant Program
June 9, 2017
France Córdova
Director, National Science Foundation
James Olds
Assistant Director, Directorate of Biological Sciences
National Science Foundation
Dear Director Córdova and Assistant Director Olds,
As representatives of the American Society of Naturalists, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Society of Systematic Biologists, we are writing to urge NSF to reinstate the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (DDIG) program in the Division of Environmental Biology and the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems. DDIGs are a strategic investment in the future of our fields, contributing to the development of independent research skills in the junior cohorts who will be the next innovators.
DDIGs offer graduate students independence in their research, mentorship opportunities, and resources to network and disseminate their findings. Having their own financial resources permits students to prioritize their research goals and invest in directions they find most promising, directly supporting the development of scientific creativity and leadership for the future of the country.
Students who have received DDIGs have had valuable training in grant writing, administering grant funding, crafting independent research programs, and mentoring. These are all essential skills that represent the essence of our goals for training students in our fields. There are few other avenues whereby students can obtain such valuable experience, and DDIGs offer unusually high return on the modest financial investment. Without the DDIG program, the junior members of our societies and in related fields will be denied valuable opportunities for their intellectual and professional development. The termination of the DDIG program will have long-lasting adverse consequences to the intellectual development of young scientists in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology.
Representing the thousands of members in our respective societies, we offer to help find solutions to support the DDIG program and maintain a sound, fiscally responsible, and efficient program in support of student research. The DDIG program is a very important investment in the scientific future of the country.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Donohue
President, The American Society of Naturalists
Sarah Otto
President, Society for the Study of Evolution
Luke Harmon
President, Society of Systematic Biologists
June 9, 2017
France Córdova
Director, National Science Foundation
James Olds
Assistant Director, Directorate of Biological Sciences
National Science Foundation
Dear Director Córdova and Assistant Director Olds,
As representatives of the American Society of Naturalists, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Society of Systematic Biologists, we are writing to urge NSF to reinstate the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (DDIG) program in the Division of Environmental Biology and the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems. DDIGs are a strategic investment in the future of our fields, contributing to the development of independent research skills in the junior cohorts who will be the next innovators.
DDIGs offer graduate students independence in their research, mentorship opportunities, and resources to network and disseminate their findings. Having their own financial resources permits students to prioritize their research goals and invest in directions they find most promising, directly supporting the development of scientific creativity and leadership for the future of the country.
Students who have received DDIGs have had valuable training in grant writing, administering grant funding, crafting independent research programs, and mentoring. These are all essential skills that represent the essence of our goals for training students in our fields. There are few other avenues whereby students can obtain such valuable experience, and DDIGs offer unusually high return on the modest financial investment. Without the DDIG program, the junior members of our societies and in related fields will be denied valuable opportunities for their intellectual and professional development. The termination of the DDIG program will have long-lasting adverse consequences to the intellectual development of young scientists in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology.
Representing the thousands of members in our respective societies, we offer to help find solutions to support the DDIG program and maintain a sound, fiscally responsible, and efficient program in support of student research. The DDIG program is a very important investment in the scientific future of the country.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Donohue
President, The American Society of Naturalists
Sarah Otto
President, Society for the Study of Evolution
Luke Harmon
President, Society of Systematic Biologists
Science funding
May 23, 2017
Dear Members of Congress,
As leading scientific organizations in the biological sciences, we urge you to make strong investments in scientific research and education in fiscal year 2018, and to reject the deep cuts to federal research programs proposed in the President’s budget request.
Research is an important engine that powers our economy. Over the past 50 years, roughly half of our nation’s private sector economic growth has resulted from research and development.
Analysis of the return on the federal government’s $12 billion investment in the Human Genome Project found that it generated an estimated $800 billion in economic return. Other economic analyses of investments in agricultural research have estimated a $10 return on every $1 the federal government invests. These are just some examples and others may be found in a recent report from the American Institute of Biological Sciences (see https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/resources/AIBS_Biological_Innovation_Report.pdf). In short, taxpayer support of scientific research pays dividends.
The federal government provides more than half of the funding for basic research in the United States. Indeed, industry counts on the federal government to support fundamental discovery so that the private sector may target its resources to new product development. For example, 80,000 patents awarded over a 10-year period were based on research initially funded by the National Science Foundation.
Although the United States has long been a global leader in science, our leadership is waning. Foreign countries are allocating growing shares of their Gross Domestic Product to research and development. New investments in federal research programs must be a priority if we are to remain a global scientific power.
The budget cuts outlined by the Administration for 2018 would set back American innovation for years. Funding rates for programs that support foundational biological research are already extremely low, with roughly four out of five research proposals rejected by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. The proposed budget would slash these funding rates even further for researchers at universities, colleges, marine labs, field stations, biological collections, and other non-profit research centers. Research conducted at federal labs would be harmed by likely staff reductions and cuts to research budgets.
Congress has shown bipartisan leadership by advancing science and thus stimulating American innovation and entrepreneurship. Please continue to demonstrate this bipartisan national leadership as Congress makes fiscal year 2018 appropriations.
Sincerely,
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Arachnological Society
American Ornithological Society
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists American Society of Mammalogists American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Society of Primatologists
Animal Behavior Society
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of South Carolina
BioQUEST
Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Botanical Society of America
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Entomological Collections Network
Entomological Society of America
Florida Atlantic University
Human Anatomy and Physiology Society
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Natural Science Collections Alliance
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Paleontological Society
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
San Diego Natural History Museum
Sitka Sound Science Center
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society for the Study of Evolution
Society of Systematic Biologists
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
Society of Wetland Scientists
Southern Appalachian Botanical Society
Southwestern Association of Naturalists
The Coleopterists Society
US Chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology Weed Science Society of America
Willi Hennig Society
May 23, 2017
Dear Members of Congress,
As leading scientific organizations in the biological sciences, we urge you to make strong investments in scientific research and education in fiscal year 2018, and to reject the deep cuts to federal research programs proposed in the President’s budget request.
Research is an important engine that powers our economy. Over the past 50 years, roughly half of our nation’s private sector economic growth has resulted from research and development.
Analysis of the return on the federal government’s $12 billion investment in the Human Genome Project found that it generated an estimated $800 billion in economic return. Other economic analyses of investments in agricultural research have estimated a $10 return on every $1 the federal government invests. These are just some examples and others may be found in a recent report from the American Institute of Biological Sciences (see https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/resources/AIBS_Biological_Innovation_Report.pdf). In short, taxpayer support of scientific research pays dividends.
The federal government provides more than half of the funding for basic research in the United States. Indeed, industry counts on the federal government to support fundamental discovery so that the private sector may target its resources to new product development. For example, 80,000 patents awarded over a 10-year period were based on research initially funded by the National Science Foundation.
Although the United States has long been a global leader in science, our leadership is waning. Foreign countries are allocating growing shares of their Gross Domestic Product to research and development. New investments in federal research programs must be a priority if we are to remain a global scientific power.
The budget cuts outlined by the Administration for 2018 would set back American innovation for years. Funding rates for programs that support foundational biological research are already extremely low, with roughly four out of five research proposals rejected by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. The proposed budget would slash these funding rates even further for researchers at universities, colleges, marine labs, field stations, biological collections, and other non-profit research centers. Research conducted at federal labs would be harmed by likely staff reductions and cuts to research budgets.
Congress has shown bipartisan leadership by advancing science and thus stimulating American innovation and entrepreneurship. Please continue to demonstrate this bipartisan national leadership as Congress makes fiscal year 2018 appropriations.
Sincerely,
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Arachnological Society
American Ornithological Society
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists American Society of Mammalogists American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Society of Primatologists
Animal Behavior Society
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of South Carolina
BioQUEST
Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Botanical Society of America
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Entomological Collections Network
Entomological Society of America
Florida Atlantic University
Human Anatomy and Physiology Society
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Natural Science Collections Alliance
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Paleontological Society
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
San Diego Natural History Museum
Sitka Sound Science Center
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society for the Study of Evolution
Society of Systematic Biologists
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
Society of Wetland Scientists
Southern Appalachian Botanical Society
Southwestern Association of Naturalists
The Coleopterists Society
US Chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology Weed Science Society of America
Willi Hennig Society
Restrictions on government scientists
Dear President Trump,
The United States has one of the strongest communities of scientists globally. These scientists are committed to gathering and evaluating the evidence needed for informed decision making. Researchers, policy makers, and indeed citizens depend on access to unbiased information to make informed decisions about their lives. This access is fundamental to our democracy.
As scientific societies, we ask that your administration embrace the principles of scientific integrity and openness. Every citizen has the right to make important decisions based on the best available scientific data, results, and conclusions. All scientific data must be made freely accessible to the taxpayers who funded it. On our part, scientists must communicate their results clearly and effectively to all audiences.
In light of these principles, we are greatly concerned by the recent restrictions placed on government scientists, preventing them from publishing their results or speaking with the public, unless approved. Impeding public access to information that taxpayers have funded is damaging to the principles of our democracy and to scientific progress. We hope your administration will send a strong signal that citizens and businesses deserve unfettered access to the best available evidence.
Science does not always bring good news, but armed with the data provided, everybody can become better prepared for the future. We are all better off when we know the foods that best support our health, the management measures that best protect our natural resources, and the energy alternatives and mitigation efforts that best avert future disasters. It should be a priority for your administration to ensure that government supports the research that will inform the decisions that the public and businesses will need to make about their health and environment.
We live in a complex world. The free flow of information and data--always characteristic of the American approach to science--is especially critical heading into the future. We hope that you agree and will commit to open scientific inquiry during your time in office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kathleen Donohue
President, American Society of Naturalists
Dr. Sally Otto
President, Society for the Study of Evolution
Dr. Luke Harmon
President, Society of Systematic Biologists
Dear President Trump,
The United States has one of the strongest communities of scientists globally. These scientists are committed to gathering and evaluating the evidence needed for informed decision making. Researchers, policy makers, and indeed citizens depend on access to unbiased information to make informed decisions about their lives. This access is fundamental to our democracy.
As scientific societies, we ask that your administration embrace the principles of scientific integrity and openness. Every citizen has the right to make important decisions based on the best available scientific data, results, and conclusions. All scientific data must be made freely accessible to the taxpayers who funded it. On our part, scientists must communicate their results clearly and effectively to all audiences.
In light of these principles, we are greatly concerned by the recent restrictions placed on government scientists, preventing them from publishing their results or speaking with the public, unless approved. Impeding public access to information that taxpayers have funded is damaging to the principles of our democracy and to scientific progress. We hope your administration will send a strong signal that citizens and businesses deserve unfettered access to the best available evidence.
Science does not always bring good news, but armed with the data provided, everybody can become better prepared for the future. We are all better off when we know the foods that best support our health, the management measures that best protect our natural resources, and the energy alternatives and mitigation efforts that best avert future disasters. It should be a priority for your administration to ensure that government supports the research that will inform the decisions that the public and businesses will need to make about their health and environment.
We live in a complex world. The free flow of information and data--always characteristic of the American approach to science--is especially critical heading into the future. We hope that you agree and will commit to open scientific inquiry during your time in office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kathleen Donohue
President, American Society of Naturalists
Dr. Sally Otto
President, Society for the Study of Evolution
Dr. Luke Harmon
President, Society of Systematic Biologists
Executive Order restricting visa holders
Dear President Trump:
January 31, 2017
The January 27, 2017, White House Executive Order on visas and immigration has profound implications for diplomatic, humanitarian, and national security interests, in part because of the negative impact on U.S. science and engineering capacity.
The 164 undersigned organizations – representing a broad spectrum of professional scientific, engineering and education societies, national associations, and universities – are deeply concerned that this Executive Order will have a negative impact on the ability of scientists and engineers in industry and academia to enter, or leave from and return to, the United States. This will reduce U.S. science and engineering output to the detriment of America and Americans.
Scientific progress depends on openness, transparency, and the free flow of ideas and people, and these principles have helped the United States attract and richly benefit from international scientific talent. From the Apollo Program and exploring the far reaches of the universe, to advancing biomedical research for curing diseases and harnessing science to build a thriving high-tech sector, the United States is considered a leader in science, education and innovation. In order to remain the world leader in advancing scientific knowledge and innovations, the U.S. science and technology enterprise must continue to capitalize on the international and multi- cultural environment within which it operates.
The Executive Order will discourage many of the best and brightest international students, scholars, engineers and scientists from studying and working, attending academic and scientific conferences, or seeking to build new businesses in the United States. Implementation of this policy will compromise the United States’ ability to attract international scientific talent and maintain scientific and economic leadership.
Today, we urge the Administration to rescind the Executive Order and we stand ready to assist you in crafting an immigration and visa policy that advances U.S. prosperity and ensures strong borders while staying true to foundational American principles as a nation of immigrants.
Sincerely,
American Association for the Advancement of Science AACC International
Academy for Eating Disorders
Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research
Acoustical Society of America
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
American Anthropological Association
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association for Dental Research
American Association of Geographers
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
American Association of Physicists in Medicine
American Association of Physics Teachers
American Association for Public Opinion Research
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
American Astronomical Society
American Brain Coalition
American Chemical Society
American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
American Dental Education Association
American Educational Research Association
American Geophysical Union
American Geosciences Institute
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Institute of Physics
American Mathematical Society
American Meteorological Society
American Ornithological Society
American Physical Society
American Physiological Society
American Phytopathological Society
American Political Science Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Animal Science
American Society of Association Executives
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology American Society for Cell Biology
American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology
American Society for Horticultural Science
American Society for Microbiology
American Society of Naturalists
American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Society of Plant Taxonomists
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene American Sociological Association
American Statistical Association
Archeological Institute of America
Associated Universities, Inc.
Association for Behavior Analysis International
Association of Research Libraries
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Universities
Association of Independent Research Institutes
Association for Psychological Science
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Association of Southeastern Biologists
Association for Women in Mathematics
Behavior Genetics Association
Biophysical Society
Boston University
Botanical Society of America
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Cognitive Science Society
Columbia University in the City of New York
Computing Research Association
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Consortium of Social Science Associations
Controlled Release Society
Council of Graduate Schools
Council on Social Work Education
Crop Science Society of America
Duke University
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Eating Disorders Research Society
Ecological Society of America
Entomological Society of America
Executive Committee of the American Society of Criminology Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Foundation for Science and Disability
Geological Society of America
Genetics Society of America
Harvard University
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Institute of Food Technologists
International Association for Dental Research
International Society for Computational Biology
International Society for Stem Cell Research
Johns Hopkins University
Law and Society Association
Linguistic Society of America
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Materials Research Society
Mathematical Association of America
Michigan State University
Microscopy Society of America
Midwest Political Science Association
National Association of Biology Teachers
National Communication Association
National Organization of Gay & Lesbian Scientists & Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) National Postdoctoral Association
Natural Science Collections Alliance
National Science Teachers Association
New York University
Northeastern University
Oklahoma Academy of Science
Organization for the Study of Sex Differences
Ornithological Council
Paleontological Society
Population Association of America
Princeton University
Research!America
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Seismological Society of America
Society for American Archaeology
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Society for Computers in Psychology
Society for Economic Botany
Society of Experimental Social Psychology
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Society for Mathematical Psychology
Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology
Society for the Neural Control of Movement
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Personality and Social Psychology
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
Society for Social Studies of Science
Society for Social Work and Research
Society for the Study of Evolution
Society for the Study of Reproduction
Society of Systematic Biologists
Society of Toxicology
Soil Science Society of America Stanford University
Stony Brook University
The American Phytopathological Society The Gerontological Society of America The Endocrine Society
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Optical Society
The Psychonomic Society
United States Pharmacopeial Convention University of California System University of Cincinnati
University of Iowa
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
Vanderbilt University
Vision Sciences Society
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University
cc: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer House Speaker Paul Ryan
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
Dear President Trump:
January 31, 2017
The January 27, 2017, White House Executive Order on visas and immigration has profound implications for diplomatic, humanitarian, and national security interests, in part because of the negative impact on U.S. science and engineering capacity.
The 164 undersigned organizations – representing a broad spectrum of professional scientific, engineering and education societies, national associations, and universities – are deeply concerned that this Executive Order will have a negative impact on the ability of scientists and engineers in industry and academia to enter, or leave from and return to, the United States. This will reduce U.S. science and engineering output to the detriment of America and Americans.
Scientific progress depends on openness, transparency, and the free flow of ideas and people, and these principles have helped the United States attract and richly benefit from international scientific talent. From the Apollo Program and exploring the far reaches of the universe, to advancing biomedical research for curing diseases and harnessing science to build a thriving high-tech sector, the United States is considered a leader in science, education and innovation. In order to remain the world leader in advancing scientific knowledge and innovations, the U.S. science and technology enterprise must continue to capitalize on the international and multi- cultural environment within which it operates.
The Executive Order will discourage many of the best and brightest international students, scholars, engineers and scientists from studying and working, attending academic and scientific conferences, or seeking to build new businesses in the United States. Implementation of this policy will compromise the United States’ ability to attract international scientific talent and maintain scientific and economic leadership.
Today, we urge the Administration to rescind the Executive Order and we stand ready to assist you in crafting an immigration and visa policy that advances U.S. prosperity and ensures strong borders while staying true to foundational American principles as a nation of immigrants.
Sincerely,
American Association for the Advancement of Science AACC International
Academy for Eating Disorders
Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research
Acoustical Society of America
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
American Anthropological Association
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association for Dental Research
American Association of Geographers
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
American Association of Physicists in Medicine
American Association of Physics Teachers
American Association for Public Opinion Research
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
American Astronomical Society
American Brain Coalition
American Chemical Society
American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
American Dental Education Association
American Educational Research Association
American Geophysical Union
American Geosciences Institute
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Institute of Physics
American Mathematical Society
American Meteorological Society
American Ornithological Society
American Physical Society
American Physiological Society
American Phytopathological Society
American Political Science Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Animal Science
American Society of Association Executives
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology American Society for Cell Biology
American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology
American Society for Horticultural Science
American Society for Microbiology
American Society of Naturalists
American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Society of Plant Taxonomists
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene American Sociological Association
American Statistical Association
Archeological Institute of America
Associated Universities, Inc.
Association for Behavior Analysis International
Association of Research Libraries
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Universities
Association of Independent Research Institutes
Association for Psychological Science
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Association of Southeastern Biologists
Association for Women in Mathematics
Behavior Genetics Association
Biophysical Society
Boston University
Botanical Society of America
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Cognitive Science Society
Columbia University in the City of New York
Computing Research Association
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Consortium of Social Science Associations
Controlled Release Society
Council of Graduate Schools
Council on Social Work Education
Crop Science Society of America
Duke University
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Eating Disorders Research Society
Ecological Society of America
Entomological Society of America
Executive Committee of the American Society of Criminology Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Foundation for Science and Disability
Geological Society of America
Genetics Society of America
Harvard University
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Institute of Food Technologists
International Association for Dental Research
International Society for Computational Biology
International Society for Stem Cell Research
Johns Hopkins University
Law and Society Association
Linguistic Society of America
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Materials Research Society
Mathematical Association of America
Michigan State University
Microscopy Society of America
Midwest Political Science Association
National Association of Biology Teachers
National Communication Association
National Organization of Gay & Lesbian Scientists & Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) National Postdoctoral Association
Natural Science Collections Alliance
National Science Teachers Association
New York University
Northeastern University
Oklahoma Academy of Science
Organization for the Study of Sex Differences
Ornithological Council
Paleontological Society
Population Association of America
Princeton University
Research!America
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Seismological Society of America
Society for American Archaeology
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Society for Computers in Psychology
Society for Economic Botany
Society of Experimental Social Psychology
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Society for Mathematical Psychology
Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology
Society for the Neural Control of Movement
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Personality and Social Psychology
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
Society for Social Studies of Science
Society for Social Work and Research
Society for the Study of Evolution
Society for the Study of Reproduction
Society of Systematic Biologists
Society of Toxicology
Soil Science Society of America Stanford University
Stony Brook University
The American Phytopathological Society The Gerontological Society of America The Endocrine Society
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Optical Society
The Psychonomic Society
United States Pharmacopeial Convention University of California System University of Cincinnati
University of Iowa
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
Vanderbilt University
Vision Sciences Society
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University
cc: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer House Speaker Paul Ryan
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
The Role of Science in the Trump Administration
December 22, 2016
Dear President-elect Trump:
As leading scientific organizations in the biological sciences, we write to encourage you to make scientific research and education a priority during your administration. Part of what makes America great is our capacity to generate new knowledge and ideas that spur innovation and drive the development of new economic opportunities for all Americans.
We respectfully request that you take swift action to:
Biology is the science of life. Every day, discoveries arising from biological research contribute to improved human health and economic security. Biology is a foundational science from which we build new antibiotic and antiviral medications, translate findings from genetics laboratories into the development of more drought tolerant food crops, and develop new materials inspired by biological compounds and structures. Biological diversity surveys, for example, provide us with the information we need to identify and model diseases, such as Ebola and Zika, which can jump from wild animal populations to humans. Insights derived from our investigations into the human microbial biome are improving our understanding of various health conditions and diseases, such as food allergies, Crohn's and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, among many others. Biological research enables us to make more informed decisions about natural resource management and stewardship. When we understand how ecological systems function, we can prevent and better mitigate disruptions to important environmental processes that provide us with clean air and water.
Research is an important engine that powers our economy. Over the past 50 years, roughly half of our nation's private sector economic growth has resulted from research and development. One analysis of the return on the federal government's $12 billion investment in the Human Genome Project found that it generated an estimated $800 billion in economic return. Other economic analyses of investments in agricultural research have estimated a $10 return on every $1 the federal government invests. These are just some examples and others may be found in a recent report from the American Institute of Biological Sciences (see https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/resources/AIBS_Biological_Innovation_Report.pdf). In short, taxpayer support of scientific research pays dividends.
The federal government provides more than half of the funding for basic research in the United States. Indeed, industry counts on the federal government to support fundamental discovery so that the private sector may target its resources to new product development. For example, 80,000 patents awarded over a 10-year period were based on research initially funded by the federal government's National Science Foundation.
Although the United States has long been a global leader in science, our leadership is waning. Foreign countries are allocating growing shares of their Gross Domestic Product to research and development. New investments in federal research agencies must be a priority if we are to be a global power.
Science is a rapidly advancing field that builds on itself. One scientific discipline borrows from another. Thus, it is important that federal agencies coordinate and strategically leverage their research portfolios. One of the ways in which the federal government coordinates its scientific priorities is through the President's Science Advisor and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. A strong and respected science advisor can provide the honest and timely analysis you will require to make informed decisions on threats to public health, national security, and environmental incidents that can threaten the well-being of people for years into the future. The Office of Science and Technology Policy can also help to ensure that federal research programs are responding to the needs of the scientific community and the nation. We encourage you to work with the National Academies of Science and professional scientific associations such as the undersigned to identify a highly qualified individual who can provide you with the highest caliber scientific advice and counsel.
Science has not been, nor do we think it should be, a partisan issue. Rather, it is a public benefit. We request that upon taking office you provide clear and immediate guidance through the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to all federal department and agency heads directing them to seek and use peer-reviewed scientific information as the basis for decision-making. Many federal programs have established scientific advisory boards and committees. These panels should be filled and staffed by qualified scientists. To do otherwise will call into question the credibility of any government actions taken on matters of health, security, or environmental stewardship.
We stand ready to work with you, your transition team, and your administration to move forward programs and policy that advance science for the benefit of the nation. Please contact Dr. Robert Gropp at 202-628-1500 x 250 if we can provide any assistance to you and your administration.
Sincerely,
American Arachnological Society
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Malacological Society
American Ornithological Society
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
American Society of Mammalogists
American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Parasitologists
American Society of Plant Taxonomists
American Society of Primatologists
Animal Behavior Society
Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Association of Southeastern Biologists
Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Science, University of South Carolina
Berkeley Natural History Museums
BioQUEST
Botanical Society of America
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation
Crop Science Society of America
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Entomological Collections Network
Entomological Society of America
Great Lakes Research Center of Michigan Technological University
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University
Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Helminthological Society of Washington
Herpetologists' League
Human Anatomy and Physiology Society
iDigBio
International Association for Bear Research and Management
Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
National Association of Biology Teachers
National Association of Marine Laboratories
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Natural Science Collections Alliance
NC State University/Center for Marine Sciences & Technology
Oregon State University Herbarium
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Paleontological Society
Phycological Society of America
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Society for Conservation Biology North America
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society for the Study of Evolution
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Society of Systematic Biologists
Soil Science Society of America
Southwestern Association of Naturalists
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
The Field Museum of Natural History
University of California Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences
University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Botany
US Regional Association of the International Association of Landscape Ecology
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida
Willi Hennig Society
Wisconsin State Herbarium
December 22, 2016
Dear President-elect Trump:
As leading scientific organizations in the biological sciences, we write to encourage you to make scientific research and education a priority during your administration. Part of what makes America great is our capacity to generate new knowledge and ideas that spur innovation and drive the development of new economic opportunities for all Americans.
We respectfully request that you take swift action to:
- Make scientific research a budget priority
- Appoint a Presidential Science Advisor with strong scientific credentials
- Direct your administration to use peer-reviewed scientific information to inform decisions
Biology is the science of life. Every day, discoveries arising from biological research contribute to improved human health and economic security. Biology is a foundational science from which we build new antibiotic and antiviral medications, translate findings from genetics laboratories into the development of more drought tolerant food crops, and develop new materials inspired by biological compounds and structures. Biological diversity surveys, for example, provide us with the information we need to identify and model diseases, such as Ebola and Zika, which can jump from wild animal populations to humans. Insights derived from our investigations into the human microbial biome are improving our understanding of various health conditions and diseases, such as food allergies, Crohn's and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, among many others. Biological research enables us to make more informed decisions about natural resource management and stewardship. When we understand how ecological systems function, we can prevent and better mitigate disruptions to important environmental processes that provide us with clean air and water.
Research is an important engine that powers our economy. Over the past 50 years, roughly half of our nation's private sector economic growth has resulted from research and development. One analysis of the return on the federal government's $12 billion investment in the Human Genome Project found that it generated an estimated $800 billion in economic return. Other economic analyses of investments in agricultural research have estimated a $10 return on every $1 the federal government invests. These are just some examples and others may be found in a recent report from the American Institute of Biological Sciences (see https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/resources/AIBS_Biological_Innovation_Report.pdf). In short, taxpayer support of scientific research pays dividends.
The federal government provides more than half of the funding for basic research in the United States. Indeed, industry counts on the federal government to support fundamental discovery so that the private sector may target its resources to new product development. For example, 80,000 patents awarded over a 10-year period were based on research initially funded by the federal government's National Science Foundation.
Although the United States has long been a global leader in science, our leadership is waning. Foreign countries are allocating growing shares of their Gross Domestic Product to research and development. New investments in federal research agencies must be a priority if we are to be a global power.
Science is a rapidly advancing field that builds on itself. One scientific discipline borrows from another. Thus, it is important that federal agencies coordinate and strategically leverage their research portfolios. One of the ways in which the federal government coordinates its scientific priorities is through the President's Science Advisor and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. A strong and respected science advisor can provide the honest and timely analysis you will require to make informed decisions on threats to public health, national security, and environmental incidents that can threaten the well-being of people for years into the future. The Office of Science and Technology Policy can also help to ensure that federal research programs are responding to the needs of the scientific community and the nation. We encourage you to work with the National Academies of Science and professional scientific associations such as the undersigned to identify a highly qualified individual who can provide you with the highest caliber scientific advice and counsel.
Science has not been, nor do we think it should be, a partisan issue. Rather, it is a public benefit. We request that upon taking office you provide clear and immediate guidance through the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to all federal department and agency heads directing them to seek and use peer-reviewed scientific information as the basis for decision-making. Many federal programs have established scientific advisory boards and committees. These panels should be filled and staffed by qualified scientists. To do otherwise will call into question the credibility of any government actions taken on matters of health, security, or environmental stewardship.
We stand ready to work with you, your transition team, and your administration to move forward programs and policy that advance science for the benefit of the nation. Please contact Dr. Robert Gropp at 202-628-1500 x 250 if we can provide any assistance to you and your administration.
Sincerely,
American Arachnological Society
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Malacological Society
American Ornithological Society
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
American Society of Mammalogists
American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Parasitologists
American Society of Plant Taxonomists
American Society of Primatologists
Animal Behavior Society
Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Association of Southeastern Biologists
Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Science, University of South Carolina
Berkeley Natural History Museums
BioQUEST
Botanical Society of America
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation
Crop Science Society of America
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Entomological Collections Network
Entomological Society of America
Great Lakes Research Center of Michigan Technological University
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University
Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Helminthological Society of Washington
Herpetologists' League
Human Anatomy and Physiology Society
iDigBio
International Association for Bear Research and Management
Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
National Association of Biology Teachers
National Association of Marine Laboratories
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Natural Science Collections Alliance
NC State University/Center for Marine Sciences & Technology
Oregon State University Herbarium
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Paleontological Society
Phycological Society of America
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Society for Conservation Biology North America
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society for the Study of Evolution
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Society of Systematic Biologists
Soil Science Society of America
Southwestern Association of Naturalists
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
The Field Museum of Natural History
University of California Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences
University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Botany
US Regional Association of the International Association of Landscape Ecology
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida
Willi Hennig Society
Wisconsin State Herbarium
Scientific Consensus on Climate Change
June 28, 2016
Dear Members of Congress,
We, as leaders of major scientific organizations, write to remind you of the consensus scientific view of climate change.
Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research concludes that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. This conclusion is based on multiple independent lines of evidence and the vast body of peer-reviewed science.
There is strong evidence that ongoing climate change is having broad negative impacts on society, including the global economy, natural resources, and human health. For the United States, climate change impacts include greater threats of extreme weather events, sea level rise, and increased risk of regional water scarcity, heat waves, wildfires, and the disturbance of biological systems. The severity of climate change impacts is increasing and is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades.
To reduce the risk of the most severe impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions must be substantially reduced. In addition, adaptation is necessary to address unavoidable consequences for human health and safety, food security, water availability, and national security, among others.
We, in the scientific community, are prepared to work with you on the scientific issues important to your deliberations as you seek to address the challenges of our changing climate.
American Association for the Advancement of Science American Chemical Society
American Geophysical Union
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Meteorological Society
American Public Health Association
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Statistical Association
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium
Botanical Society of America
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Crop Science Society of America
Ecological Society of America
Entomological Society of America
Geological Society of America
National Association of Marine Laboratories
Natural Science Collections Alliance
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society of Nematologists
Society of Systematic Biologists
Soil Science Society of America
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
June 28, 2016
Dear Members of Congress,
We, as leaders of major scientific organizations, write to remind you of the consensus scientific view of climate change.
Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research concludes that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. This conclusion is based on multiple independent lines of evidence and the vast body of peer-reviewed science.
There is strong evidence that ongoing climate change is having broad negative impacts on society, including the global economy, natural resources, and human health. For the United States, climate change impacts include greater threats of extreme weather events, sea level rise, and increased risk of regional water scarcity, heat waves, wildfires, and the disturbance of biological systems. The severity of climate change impacts is increasing and is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades.
To reduce the risk of the most severe impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions must be substantially reduced. In addition, adaptation is necessary to address unavoidable consequences for human health and safety, food security, water availability, and national security, among others.
We, in the scientific community, are prepared to work with you on the scientific issues important to your deliberations as you seek to address the challenges of our changing climate.
American Association for the Advancement of Science American Chemical Society
American Geophysical Union
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Meteorological Society
American Public Health Association
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Statistical Association
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium
Botanical Society of America
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Crop Science Society of America
Ecological Society of America
Entomological Society of America
Geological Society of America
National Association of Marine Laboratories
Natural Science Collections Alliance
Organization of Biological Field Stations
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Society for Mathematical Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society of Nematologists
Society of Systematic Biologists
Soil Science Society of America
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research