ESD students, please pass on and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come if you have the time!! This is a great opportunity to get involved in the science policy debate at a crucial time for science research funding.
WHAT: Filming a Video to Protect Federal Science Funding
WHEN: Friday Morning, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm (drop by any time in that window)
WHERE: West Lobby of Building 66 (the Chemical Engineering Lobby)
WHY: To mobilize half a million science and engineering graduate students to speak out for science and engineering investment; and because there will be donuts.
MORE DETAILS:
All right, scientists, engineers, and policy wonks, here's the skinny: the federal government is tightening it's belt, and long-term investments like funding for science and engineering are in serious jeopardy. A lot of folks have voiced their opinion on this, arguing that science and engineering research lead to innovative technologies, economic growth, and provide for the training of graduate students who then go on to contribute their skills and innovations to a wide variety of occupations. However, one voice that has been noticably quiet is that of graduate students themselves. We're trying to change that.
We've written an open letter to congress, and we're going to post it online so that as many science and engineering graduate students as possible can sign it. But graduate students aren't gonna sign it if they don't see it; that means we need people to spread the word. One way we're doing that is this video. The video will feature dozens of graduate students (one of whom could be you), conveying the message of the letter; also, to put a human face on science and engineering, we're having graduate students talk on camera about what they do or what they plan to do, giving microblurbs on their research. To keep length down, students are describing their research/plans in about 5 seconds or less; examples are "I use nanoparticles to target chemotherapy to tumors," or "When I graduate, I will found a startup to commercialize new earthquake-proof I-beams."
If you can spare the time tomorrow, please come by between 10:30 and 12:30; this is a big issue with a lot of long-term implications, and decision are being made very fast. With over half a million science and engineering graduate students and post-docs in this country, we've got a voice that can be heard; but we've got use that voice, and we've got to use it NOW. If you've got any questions, e-mail ntwarog@mit.edu