Annual Report AMERICAN ASS OCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science (www.sciencemag.org), as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; and beginning in 2016, two new journals — Science Robotics and Science Immunology. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes some 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. 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, public engagement and more. For the latest research news, log on to EurekAlert! (www.eurekalert.org), the premier science-news website, a service of AAAS. American Association for the Advancement of Science 1200 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005 USA Tel: 202-326-6440 aaas.org ON THE COVER: Microscopic slice of a linden leaf/Adobe Stock Images TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION BY BOARD CHAIR AND CEO . 2 SCIENCE POLICY AND DIPLOMACY . 4 SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT . 10 SCIENCE EDUCATION, WORKFORCE AND LITERACY . 16 SCIENCE JOURNALS AND NEWS . 22 PHILANTHROPY: THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS . 26 2016 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS . 31 AAAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MANAGEMENT . 32 AAAS.ORG 1 2016 INTRODUCTION In a time of great challenge and opportunity expanded its impact in 2016. We have for people around the world, AAAS and the successfully worked to share information Science family of journals are furthering on the latest advances with the scientific scientific progress and advocating for the community, policymakers, reporters and research enterprise. the public; provided training and resources to students, scientists and engineers; and The AAAS mission guides work to “advance promoted research collaboration across science, engineering and innovation disciplines and borders. throughout the world for the benefit of all people.” By leading initiatives and partnering We thank AAAS members and donors whose with others in science communication, participation enables us to serve as the force advocacy, education, public engagement and for science. international programs, AAAS significantly Geraldine Richmond Chair, AAAS Board of Directors Presidential Chair in Science and Professor of Chemistry University of Oregon Rush D. Holt Chief Executive Officer, AAAS and Executive Publisher Science Family of Journals Photo by Chet Susslin/National Journal 2 AAAS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT “ We thank AAAS members and donors whose participation enables us to serve as the force for science.” AAAS.ORG 3 SCIENCE POLICY AND DIPLOMACY AAAS provides tools to equip scientists cabinet-level science adviser and encouraged and engineers to advocate for science and Congress to pass a fiscal year 2017 budget. be active in policymaking. The Office of Continuing efforts included Science editorials Government Relations communicates with by Holt as well as Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Berg, congressional representatives and staff, AAAS webcast seminars on postelection organizes Capitol Hill briefings and meetings, impacts, and a letter signed by Holt and 28 and produces evidence-based science and other science and education leaders, calling technology updates, including analyses of for a national science adviser. federal investments in science and engineering AAAS also swiftly put in place a Force for research and development (R&D). AAAS trains Science advocacy portal to offer resources and and encourages scientists to become active information during the leadership transition in in policymaking and advocating for science. Washington, D.C., and reached out to cabinet- The Office of International and Security Affairs level nominees in the new administration. In and the Center for Science Diplomacy foster op-eds, Holt described science as a “unifying international scientific collaborations and force,” and offered encouragement to early- personal connections among researchers, career scientists and engineers who may be which leads to new discoveries, improved concerned about changes in the government relationships among governments and after the presidential election: “Speak up. Stay benefits the public welfare. focused. Carry on.” Advocating for Science Science and Technology in U.S. Policymaking Policy Fellows Bring Expertise The U.S. presidential election offered many to U.S. Government opportunities for AAAS to be active in The 44th class of AAAS Science & advocating for science to policymakers. Technology Policy Fellows began their two- Before the election, AAAS and 59 other week orientation and training in September leading nonpartisan organizations asked before heading off to work in one of the three the presidential candidates to address 20 branches of the U.S. federal government. The key science-related questions, and called on 259 fellows in the 2016 class, all of whom have journalists and voters to request answers. advanced degrees in science, engineering or The day after the election, AAAS CEO Rush medicine, contribute technical expertise while Holt issued a statement that urged President- learning about policymaking firsthand. elect Donald Trump to name a qualified, 4 AAAS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 259 Experts Placed in the Federal Government The Science & Technology Policy Fellows class of 2016, all of whom have advanced degrees in science, engineering or medicine, contribute technical expertise while learning about policymaking firsthand. AAAS.ORG 5 Online Dashboard Makes Catalyzing Advocacy in Federal R&D Budget Science and Engineering Analysis More Useful (CASE) Trains Students Trends in federal R&D funding were made AAAS and a coalition of other science and clearer with a new Budget Dashboard engineering organizations, universities and developed by the AAAS R&D Budget and academic groups offered training in basic Policy Program, designed to “enhance the science policy and advocacy for upper-class transparency, accessibility and usefulness undergraduates and graduate students. of historical AAAS data,” said Matt Hourihan, The annual three-and-a-half-day CASE program director. For example, the tool program provides workshops on effective illustrates how federal research funding began communication, the federal budget and to slow in fiscal year 2004, after a long period appropriations process, and policymaking. of steady increases and long before budget Afterward, students meet with their sequestration policies began to take effect. congressional representatives. In a December report issued on trends in federal R&D funding, the program showed U.S. and Cuban Scientists that the decline in federal research funding Team Up to Combat Cancer is linked to a continued reduction in discretionary spending. The R&D Budget In 2014, a year before the U.S. normalized Program also analyzed congressional funding relations with Cuba, AAAS and the Cuban proposals for the 2017 budget, and issued a Academy of Sciences signed a historic joint report in November with other leading agreement to promote scientific cooperation science organizations. among researchers in the two countries. In May, leading cancer researchers and their Cuban counterparts participated in a two- Golden Goose Awards day symposium — co-organized by the AAAS Honor Basic Science Center for Science Diplomacy — where they discussed Cuban advances in immunotherapy Three research teams were recognized with cancer treatments and other topics. During Golden Goose Awards in 2016, including a an earlier 2015 meeting, the countries team that created an algorithm describing also discussed plans for collaborations in honeybees’ foraging patterns. The algorithm neuroscience. Participants at both meetings is now used to optimize web-hosting servers. made plans to bring Cuban biomedical The awards, founded by AAAS and others, research fellows to the U.S. to share knowledge recognize federally funded basic science about neuroscience and cancer research. investigations that have resulted in important practical applications. 6 AAAS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT U.S. and Cuba Team Up! In May, leading cancer researchers and their Cuban counterparts participated in a two-day symposium co-organized by the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy. AAAS.ORG 7 Northeast Asia Trip During a session at the AAAS Science Bolsters Cooperation Diplomacy 2016 conference held in May, panelists said the challenges Iran faces, AAAS CEO Rush Holt and Chief International including energy shortages, access to clean Officer Tom Wang made a weeklong trip water and medical treatments, can be to Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul in November opportunities for international engagement to promote scientific collaborations and while improving its residents’ lives. Alex research that benefits the public in those Dehgan, former chief scientist at USAID, said countries and the region. Holt stressed that that science diplomacy should be structured scientists need to be more open with the to benefit all parties, and that international public to help restore the public’s trust in research partners could learn from Iran’s science. strong science and technology sectors. Science Diplomacy in Iran Science & Diplomacy The U.S. and Iran do not have formal Issues such as relationship building, health diplomatic relations, making scientific diplomacy, international