UPDATE: CCST at 2020 AAAS Annual Meeting in Seattle: Expert Wildfire Panel, Career Workshop with Career Guide

UPDATE 2/15: A Career Guide for Science Policy was developed by CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows alumni and can be downloaded here.

CCST is attending the 2020 AAAS Annual Meeting in Seattle, where they are organizing two events for attendees in conjunction with our partners and the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow alumni.

Saturday, February 15th:

Improved Wildfire Resilience: Leveraging Science and Technology
1:30pm – 3:00pm
Washington State Convention Center – 615-616

Wildfires are a common and natural occurrence in many ecosystems around the world. However, wildfires can also significantly threaten lives and infrastructure. Many regions have recently suffered record-breaking destructive wildfires, including Australia, Greece, Portugal, Russia, and the United States. The severity of wildfires are predicted to worsen with climate change in some regions, creating an urgent need to convene broad coalitions of stakeholders to leverage science and technology to mitigate and adapt to increasing wildfire risk. This symposium will explore several examples where cross-cutting partnerships are leveraging new advances in science and technology to better manage natural lands, improve emergency response, and respond to environmental impacts such as reduced air and water quality.

Organized by Sarah Brady and Teresa Feo of CCST and moderated by Susan Hubbard of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this panel will feature the following experts:

• • Frank Lake, United States Forest Service, Orleans, CA
    Incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Forest Management Practices
  • Jackson Webster, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA
    Effects of Wildfire on Water Quality and Drinking Water Treatment
  • Dave Winnacker, Moraga-Orinda Fire District, Moraga, CA
    Implementation of New Technologies for Improved Emergency Wildfire Response

Exploring Diverse Avenues to a Career in Science Policy
3:30pm – 5:00pm
Washington State Convention Center – 401

As society increasingly depends on technology for essential needs, decision makers will further rely on scientific information and data to inform their decisions. Based on the competitiveness of science policy fellowships at the federal government and a growing number in state governments, it has become apparent that more paths to science policy careers are needed to engage the number of Masters- and PhD-level scientists eager to apply their scientific backgrounds and skillsets to public service. This workshop will provide a sweeping survey of such opportunities, from positions in public agencies to local boards and commissions to policy-oriented industries. A 2020 Career Guide for Science Policy was developed by CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows alumni and can be downloaded here.

Coordinated by Julianne McCall (2017 CCST Science Fellow) of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and Jeffery Song (2018 CCST Science Fellow) of CCST. Featuring the following speakers:

• • Jeff Onsted, California Department of Conservation, Sacramento, CA
  • Susanna Ehlers, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Frederick Tyson, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC

View the Career Guide:

About the California Council on Science and Technology
CCST is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature in 1988. We engage leading experts in science and technology to advise State policymakers — ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation. Discover how CCST makes California’s policies stronger with science at www.ccst.us.