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Public Affairs — Page 41

BESC-CoFARM Congressional Visits Day

This opportunity was a fantastic introduction to the to the workings of science, policy and government. I had minimal background in policy and this event was perfect for someone who is beginning to consider science/policy interactions as a career interest.

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Adventures on the Hill

Last week, I had the privilege to spend several days in Washington DC as a graduate student representative of ESA. Along with biologists from several other organizations, we met with congressional staffers to advocate for the expansion of several federal programs that fund non-medical life science research in the 2008 budget. It was my first experience navigating the marbled halls of Capitol Hill, and although I didn’t come away with pockets full of research money (which was my secret motive for going), the trip was eye-opening on several levels.

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To replant or not to replant natural barriers? Perhaps that is the wrong question

Contributed by Edward B. Barbier, Department of Economics & Finance, University of Wyoming

In a recent editorial in the New York Times (“False Hopes and Natural Disasters”, December 26, 2006), Andrew Baird has criticized Bill Clinton in his role as special envoy for UN tsunami recovery for endorsing publicly a $62 million program for preserving mangroves and coastal reefs as “natural barriers” to future tsunamis in 12 Indian Ocean countries.

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