How can you become more involved in public policy?

The Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) Public Affairs Office works to promote policy literacy among its members as well as to encourage their participation in the public policy arena. This presentation describes several of the avenues ESA members may take to become more involved in public policy: Take advantage of Capitol Hill visits each Spring to meet with your members of Congress; Subscribe to and read the bi-weekly Policy News for updates on important environmental policy issues; Read and respond in a timely fashion to Action Alerts sent out by ESA staff; Participate on a Rapid Response Team of experts (by invitation) to serve as a scientific resource for policymakers; Participate in media and policy training courses that are offered at the Annual Meeting; Use the ESA website as a valuable resource for tips on communicating with Congress and to see how the federal budget affects the scientific community; Participate in Congressional briefings to highlight ecological issues; Showcase your work by inviting your local member of Congress on a field trip to your research site—cultivate excitement about science!