POLICY ENGAGEMENT
In October, Ecological Society of America (ESA) President Scott Collins joined several other organizations in signing a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget requesting that the agency not approve a rule which would allow Arundo donax, an invasive species, to qualify as an "advanced biofuel feedstock" under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The letter asserted that production incentives for high risk feedstocks such as Arundo donax should not be provided because the potential costs of mitigating environmental damages are very likely higher than the plant's benefits.
In September, policy staff with ESA, the American Institute for Biological Sciences and the American Mathematical Society met with congressional staff affiliated with the Commerce Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss the upcoming budget sequester and potential scenarios.
ESA became a collaborator of the new 'social sciences in action' initiative of the National Academies that seeks to demonstrate the validity and value of the social sciences. The social sciences have been weathering repeated congressional attacks. ESA helped publicize the new initiative in a post to EcoTone and will continue to help with the initiative.
ESA MEMBERS IN ACTION
 As the Public Programs Manager at the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) in Washington DC, ARI NOVY is responsible for communicating the value of plants to a wide public audience. Ari works to develop exhibits, workshops, displays and other programs that inspire more than one million visitors a year to understand more about the role plants play in human society and ecosystem function.
STEWARD PICKETT (Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, ESA President 2011-2012) reflects on his tenure as ESA president and the Society's efforts to promote earth stewardship on the latest edition of the Ecologist Goes to Washington podcast.
 FELICIA COLEMAN (Florida State University) was interviewed in an October article for the Florida ApalachTimes concerning sustainability issues facing the Apalachicola Bay.
GRETCHEN DAILY (Stanford University) spoke at the 23rd Annual Bioneers Conference, Oct. 19-21, 2012. The conference seeks to bring innovators from a broad cross section of society together to seek solutions that help sustain both human society and the natural world.
 NANCY GRIMM (Arizona State University) recently joined the authors of the 2009 National Climate Assessment in issuing a response to a critical report from the CATO Institute, which the authors contend purports to be an official addendum to their original report. The statement was covered by Climate Science Watch.
Research findings from THOMAS SWETNAM (University of Arizona) and a team from Los Alamos National Laboratory, the US Geological Survey, the University of Arizona and other partners outlining climate change's impact on southwestern tree growth was featured in the local media outlets Western Farm Press and Payson Roundup.
ESA WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
If you've interacted with policymakers or the media, we'd like to know! To be considered for inclusion in the next ESA in Action, just send a blurb (with optional photo) to ESA's Public Affairs Office at pao@esa.org before February 2013.
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ESA GRAD STUDENTS – APPLY NOW FOR 2013 GRADUATE STUDENT POLICY AWARD
ESA invites applications for its 2013 Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA). This award, offered annually to up to three winners, provides graduate students hands-on science policy experience in Washington, DC including interacting with congressional decision-makers, federal agency officials, and others engaged in science and public policy.
ESA covers travel and lodging expenses associated with this event for GSPA recipients. The two-day event will occur between mid-March and early April, contingent on the yet-to-be-determined 2013 congressional schedule. For more information, click here.
MEDIA
A Frontiers article estimating the sea otter contribution to climate change mitigation via suppression of sea urchin consumption of kelp (i.e. "sea otters, saving the world") received a lot of media attention, in outlets including Reuters.
A new Issues in Ecology examines how landscape connectivity can play a role in conservation and restoration activities. The issue highlights threats to landscape connectivity, including habitat fragmentation, biological effects of connectivity (both positive and negative) and suggested practices for utilizing landscape connectivity in conservation efforts that account for anthropogenic and climate change influences.
Ecological Applications published a new report highlighting the impact global trade can have on prevalence of infectious diseases. The study cited how abandonment of rice paddies in Taiwan following that country's joining the World Trade Organization, along with periodic plowing to reduce farm pests in abandoned fields, increased the risks of diseases transmitted by ticks and chiggers. The study suggests that these land use changes, caused by globalization, may have inadvertently increased the risk of spotted fever and scrub typhus in that region.
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE USING ESA MEDIA RESOURCES
EcoTone ESA's blog welcomes guest contributions. For more information, contact ESA Communications Officer Liza Lester: llester@esa.org
Podcasts Have you had an interesting experience interacting with policymakers? If so, we would like to interview you for the latest edition of the Ecologist Goes to Washington. For more information, contact ESA Science Policy Analyst Terence Houston: terence@esa.org
21st Century Social Media Keep up with events and opportunities by 'following' ESA on Twitter and 'liking' ESA on Facebook.
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FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
California Science and Technology Policy Fellowship
White House Fellowship
*Application Deadline: Feb. 1 (annually)
American Association for the Advancement of Science
*Application Deadline: Dec. 5, 2012
American Geophysical Union
Knauss Sea Grant Fellowship
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