Policy and Engagement

Resources for Issues that Matter to AWM

Here are a few mailing lists you can subscribe to for periodic updates:

AWM is a founding member of the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM which was formed in response to the 2018 NASEM report on the persistent issue of sexual harassment in STEMM. The consortium’s mission is to address harassment in all its forms and intersectionalities. One of the founding and lead members of the society is the Education Counsel, a nonprofit focused on Education Law. This group has provided Consortium Members like AWM with the following legal review and notes of the Executive Orders that impact STEMM since Jan 20, 2025. See the latest posts on the Education Counsel’s website and sign up for their mailing list to get the weekly Executive Actions Charts.
Sign up for the American Institute of Physics’ (AIP) weekly mailing list FYI This Week: scroll down to the “Subscribe for Updates” section and sign up for science policy updates weekly or monthly.
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee oversees agency budgets totaling over $42 billion and its jurisdiction covers most non-defense and non-human-health Federal research and development. You can join their mailing list for updates on topics you care about.

Resources on Science Funding

AMS Take Action has information about issues such as the state of NSF funding.
Check out the NSF and Congress site and the NSF’s Implementation of Recent Executive Orders page.
NSF Fact Sheets: “Explore a variety of fact sheets about the U.S. National Science Foundation, its investments in science and engineering and its impact on the American people.”
SIAM Science Policy page includes policy papers on topics that affect SIAM’s population
The National Science Board (NSB) “establishes the policies of the National Science Foundation and serves as advisor to Congress and the President. The Board approves major NSF awards, provides congressional testimony and issues statements relevant to the nation’s S&E enterprise.”
- Public meetings are posted on YouTube
- NSF and Congress website has fact sheets that highlight investments in your state
- NSF FY 2025 Budget Request to Congress
Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information

Contact Your Elected Officials

If you can’t make it to their offices (Hill Visits!), you can contact via snail mail, e-mail, or phone calls to tell them what issues matter to you and share how decisions they make affect you personally.

Find your representatives at every level of government thanks to the League of Women Voters.

Resources

“R&D” Means Something Different on Capitol Hill https://issues.org/information-flows-congress-kirshenbaum/

Engaging Your Elected Officials via Email

Adapted from SIAM Best Practices for Engaging With Congressional Offices

Introduce yourself and explain that you are a constituent of their district/state.
When crafting a message, think about why you are looking to engage with them. What is your “ask”?
- This could be a request to support funding for a key agency or program, vote for or against an upcoming piece of legislation or amendment, or engage the Administration to encourage or oppose an executive action.
Include specific information, anecdotes, and stories. Personal and local stories are best – how do these policies or funding impact you? Why is this issue important to you?
Offer to provide further information if needed on the topic.
Keep it short – just a paragraph or two is usually all you need to get your point across.

Engaging Your Elected Officials via a Phone Call with Staff

Adapted from SIAM Best Practices For Engaging With Congressional Offices

Note that most calls are expected to last just a minute or two!
Staffers are mainly taking tallies of how many people are calling in support or opposition on an issue.
Avoid prolonging the meeting beyond its natural conclusion, using jargon, or arguing with the staffer.
If you get sent to voicemail, leave a message. Make sure to include your address so they can verify you are a constituent.
If you prefer not to talk to a person, call after hours and it will go straight to voicemail!
They will ask you for your address to confirm that you are a constituent.
If you have a specific situation that you or they want follow-up on, they will ask for your contact information.

The non-profit 5calls.org also has a great guide for calling, as well as scripts for specific topics.

A Script Template

Hello, my name is _________ and I’m a constituent of Senator/Representative ________.

I am calling about [topic]:

I would like [her, them, him] to [support, oppose] [a specific piece of legislation, a budget proposal].
I would like to thank [her, them, him] for supporting [congressional action, public statement].
I would like to express my support for [agency, program, initiative].
I have concerns about the actions of [department, committee].

This matters to me personally because [story, anecdote, specific data about yourself, a friend, a family member, or your local community].

I’m happy to provide more information if that would be of help to the [Senator, Representative].

I know you must be busy, so thank you for taking my call!

How to Make the Most of Public Meetings and Town Halls

Adapted from Phi Beta Kappa Society’s guide

Consider attending a public meeting or town hall event. It’s an effective way to inform your legislators about issues that matter to you in a public forum where they can be held accountable.

Arrive early when possible to introduce yourself as a constituent to a member of your legislator’s staff.
Present your pitch or question as early as possible.
Keep your statement short, simple, and brief. Focus in one point that you think will resonate with your legislator.
Identify a fact or two and connect it briefly to you personally.
End your pitch by asking how your legislator will follow-up on your ask.

Other Ways To Get Involved

AMS-AAAS Congressional Fellowship: The American Mathematical Society (AMS) sponsors a year-long Congressional Fellowship from September through August. The Fellow will spend the year working on the staff of a Member of Congress or a congressional committee, as a special legislative assistant in legislative and policy areas requiring scientific and technical input. Applicants must have a PhD or an equivalent doctoral-level degree by the application deadline of February 1 and must be U.S. citizens.
AMS-AAAS Mass Media Fellowship: The American Mathematical Society (AMS) sponsors a Mass Media Fellow each summer through the Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship program organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). It is a highly competitive program designed to improve public understanding of science and technology by placing advanced science, mathematics and engineering students in newsrooms nationwide. Fellows work with media professionals to improve their communication skills and increase their understanding of the editorial process by which events and ideas become news. Applicants must be a) enrolled as students (upper level undergraduate or graduate); b) be a postdoctoral trainee; or c) apply within one year of the completion of a) or b).