Greetings! ESPA is organizing a current topic of interest through our public engagement event this month on importance of voting by people in STEM. Please find the details below and join us virtually to participate in the discussion.
Science at the Ballot Box
According to the Institute of Democracy and Higher Education, only 43% of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students voted in 2016 compared to 53% of humanities students. The report released by the organization suggests that STEM curriculums do not provide the same encouragement, opportunity, and support for civic engagement and discourse as their liberal arts counterparts. In response to this report, we want to foster discussion around the issue of civic involvement in STEM fields.
 
We are hosting a virtual conversation on why engaging in elections is important for science and how scientific research can impact legislative decision making. Our panel participants include:
- Dr. Dalal Najib, Director of Science and Engineering Capacity Building at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
- Jessica Thomas, Campaign Coordinator for the Center for Science and Diplomacy at the Union of Concerned Scientists
- Dr. Patricia Koman, Faculty Resource Program Manager at the University of Michigan College of Engineering
When: 15th Oct 2020
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Register for the event here! It would be excellent if you could register for our upcoming event using the link above and let us know if you are available to join the conversation. Additionally, whether or not you plan on attending, we hope you will fill out this survey on election engagement in your field. Respondents will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win one of fifteen $20 Amazon gift cards. Anyone can ask questions, participate or listen to the discussion, everyone is welcome! We are always excited to discuss new ideas on how to take forward each of these activities. It is paramount we have your help in driving ESPA's aims and initiatives forward through committees, and hence this is a callout for people to get involved in any of the committees listed below. Feel free to express your interest to the relevant committee co-chairs: - Policy
- Government Relations
- Consensus Conference
- Community Engagement
Please join us on Slack by clicking here to get more involved with the ESPA community and find out about other opportunities. If this email was forwarded to you, you can join ESPA's mailing list and Slack by registering here.
Looking forward to hear from you and have you for our discussion with amazing speakers on science at the ballot box!
Best,
Your ESPA Leadership Board | 
