We are both here in Washington, D.C. (or will be soon) for the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting. Some of the stuff happening is here. First off, John Holdren speaks tomorrow night, so everybody will be expecting pointed words on the science budget. Meanwhile, let me pull a few threads--sessions that sound very cool and where I think I'd learn something:
Comparing National Responses to Climate Change: Networks of Debate and Contention Friday, 18 February 1:30PM-4:30PM Organized by: Jeffrey P. Broadbent, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis SPEAKERS Jeffrey P. Broadbent, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Comparing National Responses to Climate Change: Networks, Discourse, and Action Dana R. Fisher, Columbia University, New York City Understanding Political Discourse on Climate Change in U.S. Congressional Hearings Sony Pellissery, Institute of Rural Management, Anand, India Contestations on Climate Science in the Development Context: The Case of India Sun-Jin Yun, Seoul National University, South Korea Climate Change Media Debates in Korea Jun Jin, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Role of Chinese Environmental NonGovernmental Organizations in International Talks Koichi Hasegawa, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan Japan’s Climate Change Media and Politics: 2008–2009
Eugenie Scott has also organized a very cool session:
The Challenge of Teaching Evolution in the Islamic World Friday, 18 February 3:00PM-4:30PM Organized by: Eugenie C. Scott, National Center for Science Education, Oakland, CA SPEAKERS Taner Edis, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO A Brief History of Islamic Creationism in Turkey Jason R. Wiles, Syracuse University, NY Teaching and Learning About Biological Evolution in the Muslim World Salman Hameed, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA The Future of Acceptance of Evolution in the Muslim World
And then there's a study of this emerging environmental issue, which has the distinction of being at 8 am on a Sunday morning:
Fractures Developing: The Science, Policy, and Perception of Shale Gas Development Sunday, 20 February 8:00AM-9:30AM Organized by: John P. Martin, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany; Michele L. Aldrich, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco SPEAKERS John P. Martin, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany Gas Shales: Energy Rocks with Big Implications Anthony W. Gorody, Universal Geoscience Consulting, Inc., Houston, TX Addressing Environmental Angst: Baselines, Monitors, and Other Strategies Abby Kinchy, Rensselaer Polytechnic University, Troy, NY Fractious Citizens: Sociological Perspectives on the Hydraulic Fracturing Controversy
This is intellectual fare, but of course, AAAS is really a big party. Hope to see some folks there...
