Annual Report 2008
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AAAS Annual Report 2008 Science and Technology from a Global Perspective The World is f lat The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journals, Science (www.sciencemag.org) and Science Signaling (www.sciencesignaling.org). Science Translational Medicine (www.sciencetranslationalmedicine.org) will be published beginning in the fall 2009. AAAS was founded in 1848, and serves 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, reaching 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The nonprofit AAAS (www.aaas.org) is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy; international programs; science education; and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert!, www.eurekalert.org, the premier science-news Web site, a service of AAAS. Table of Contents 2 Welcome Letter 4 Public Statements on Key Issues 6 AAAS Worldwide 8 Science Careers and Education 10 Science Policy and Society 12 Science, Technology, and Security 14 Science Breakthroughs 16 Media and Public Engagement 18 AAAS Awards and Prizes 20 2008 Golden Fund Update 22 AAAS Fellows 24 Acknowledgment of Contributors and Patron Members 34 Financial Summary 35 AAAS Board of Directors, Officers, and Information Welcome from the AAAS Chair, David Baltimore, and the CEO, Alan I. Leshner In a global economy, the world is indeed increasingly symposium planned by AAAS under the auspices of the Asia- “flat,” as journalist Thomas L. Friedman has said. The energy Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, was hosted by Vietnam crisis, insufficient resources, AIDS, and many other grand chal- and co-sponsored by the governments of China, New Zealand, lenges now clearly trump concerns based solely on political and the United States. boundaries, underscoring the interdependence of all people. The desire to improve science education for all children AAAS in 2008 helped to open new doors to international re- is another goal that connects societies around the world. search cooperation — an essential step toward combating the Upholding the Association’s commitment to helping today’s most pressing problems of our age. Through interactions with students become tomorrow’s problem-solvers, Education and world leaders from Africa to Europe, and from Latin America to Human Resources Director Shirley Malcom ventured to Egypt Asia, the Association is actively exploring science and technol- to address the North Africa and Middle East Science Centers ogy from a global perspective, and working to help stimulate Network. In addition, at the invitation of the United Nations economic growth by advancing science. Commission on Science and Technology for Development, When Rwandan President Paul Kagame addressed the Malcom spoke in Geneva about broadening science opportu- 174th AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston, for example, he nities for women. described the optimism of a poor country that has pledged Project 2061, the AAAS science-education reform initia- to invest 5% of its gross domestic product in science and tive, reached across borders to promote science literacy more technology by 2012. Similarly, Patrick Cunningham, Chief Sci- broadly, resulting in the first-ever Japanese translation of ence Advisor to the Irish Government, noted his government’s the landmark publication, Science for All Americans. Another commitment to “doubling the science establishment between respected Project 2061 resource, the Atlas of Science Literacy, 2006 and 2013,” during a meeting with incoming AAAS made its debut in Chinese. (Read more on page 8.) Science President James J. McCarthy. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Careers continued to help match qualified scientists with jobs also expressed hope for significantly increasing investment in in industry, academia, and government, too, while also orga- basic research when he met with Science Editor-in-Chief Bruce nizing professional-development events with an increasingly Alberts. international list of partners. As Wen noted, science and technology can indeed serve as AAAS meanwhile formed productive new ties with an array “the wellspring and driving force” of innovation, and pillars of of innovators from other regions — for instance, by launching a new prosperity. Worldwide, our shared goal to enhance hu- the new AAAS-Hitachi Lecture on Science and Society. AAAS man quality-of-life by leveraging scientific discovery suggests also worked to raise awareness for science in the United a path toward more trusting, productive communication with States during historic presidential campaigns. After teaming other countries. By launching the new AAAS Center for Science up with the Science Debate 2008 coalition to call for a science Diplomacy — supported by the Golden Family Foundation debate among presidential candidates, AAAS and the Associa- and the Richard Lounsbery Foundation — AAAS is promoting tion of American Universities launched a special Web site, sup- scientific collaborations related to climate change, energy, ported by the Lounsbery Foundation, to provide voters with sustainability, innovation, human health, capacity-building, objective, side-by-side comparisons of candidates’ views on and a wide range of other global concerns. (See page 6.) science and technology. Through public forums for key cam- As one example of those efforts in 2008, a new agreement paign representatives, ongoing analysis of federal research- between AAAS and Vietnam’s National Institute for Science funding trends, the 35-year-old Science and Technology Policy and Technology Policy and Strategy Studies outlined joint Fellowships program, and dozens of Capitol Hill briefings, plans for advancing “science, technology, and innovation AAAS helped to promote the role of science in society. (See policies and studies.” An initial project under the agreement, a page 10 for further details.) 2 Also in 2008, the Association continued to raise awareness of science-based issues through media appearances and op-ed articles, and by supporting science journalists worldwide. During a television appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” for example, Past AAAS President John P. Holdren — now Assistant to the U.S. President for Science and Technology — emphasized the urgency of global climate change. In multiple op-ed placements, AAAS urged policy-makers to resist efforts to undermine the teaching of evolution while also calling on U.S. voters to demand a national science debate among presidential candidates, as outlined on pages 4-5. Creative problem-solving is at the heart of both scientific discovery and entrepreneur- ship. Scientists and engineers can play a vital role in addressing humanity’s most critical challenges: improving access to nutritious food and clean water, new strategies for fighting diseases, and sustainable development. Building a new prosperity and a more peaceful world will require fundamental new insights. Through its premier international journal, Science, as well as an array of high-impact programmatic initiatives, AAAS is continuing to advance science to improve human welfare worldwide. David Baltimore Alan I. Leshner AAAS Chair (2008-2009) AAAS CEO and Robert Andrews Millikan Professor of Biology Executive Publisher, California Institute of Technology Science 08 3 Public Statements on KEy Issues Official statements, briefings, GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE opinion essays, and television > 17 April. John P. Holdren, past AAAS President and current Assistant to appearances in 2008 allowed the U.S. President for Science and Technology, appeared on “The Late AAAS to once again raise Show with David Letterman” to talk about global climate change. awareness for “hot-button” science EVOLUTION IN THE NEWS and technology issues at the > 7 January. “Teaching Evolution and intersection of science and society. Creationism,” broadcast segment, “The Diane Rehm Show, American The Association also stepped up University Radio (WAMU), featuring AAAS CEO Alan I. Leshner, Executive efforts to better leverage online Publisher of Science. and multimedia communications by > 7 April. “Free Florida’s Students from Lagging Behind,” op-ed, Orlando establishing a special channel on Sentinel, by the AAAS CEO. If today’s students become confused about YouTube, by participating in social the nature of science versus religion, he wrote, they may have a hard time networking Web sites, and more. competing for jobs later. The CEO also handled multiple interviews with Florida radio reporters regarding an attempt to insert a single religious viewpoint into science classrooms. > 18 April. AAAS released a statement decrying the “profound dishonesty and lack of civility” demonstrated by the anti-evolution movie, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” A video response also was posted to the AAAS YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/ wwwAAASorg. > 6 May. “Anti-science Law Threatens Tech Jobs of Future,” letter to the edi- tors, Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana). The AAAS CEO argued against legislation that would allow the supernatural concept of “intel- ligent design” to be presented along- side the scientific theory of evolution within science curriculum. 4 > 14 May. The AAAS CEO wrote to Okla- > 31 March. AAAS Education and > 17 June. Critical Upgrade: Enhanced homa Governor Brad Henry, opposing Human Resources Director Shirley Capacity for White House