Science Insights and News Service: Published and Broadcast Commentary

Under the auspices of the AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology, the AAAS public information team has established a proactive, message-based outreach initiative that functions in tandem with an existing, well-respected news media outreach operation, which responds to breaking news as it happens.

Staff within the AAAS Science Insights and News Service leverage a "glocal" strategy—promoting local engagement in global science and technology-related issues—by placing regional op-ed articles; by providing local experts and speakers; and by working collaboratively with colleagues throughout AAAS to partner with local opinion leaders, policy-makers, school board members, clergy, the public, and the news media.

AAAS's public engagement efforts have included the following newspaper opinion columns and major broadcast interviews:

Climate Change in the News

• “N.C. can't outlaw global climate change,” Alan I. Leshner and William L. Chameides, NewsObserver.com, 1 August 2012

• “Leshner: Probe Is Beyond Bounds of Appropriate Oversight,” Alan I. Leshner, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 24 May 2010

• “Don't Let the Climate Doubters Fool You,” Alan I. Leshner, WashingtonPost.com, 9 December 2009
  (at WashingtonPost.com or as a PDF.)

  This op-ed also appeared in:

  • The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 14 December 2009
  • Bucks County Courier Times, 16 December 2009
  • Daily News Tribune (Waltham, Mass.), 12 December 2009
  • The Guardian (UK), Guardian.co.uk, 11 December 2009
    (at Guardian.co.uk or as a PDF.)
  • Herald Tribune (Sarasota, Fla.), 15 December 2009
  • The Juneau Empire, 14 December 2009
  • The LA Times, 12 December 2009
  • The MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, Mass.), 12 December 2009
  • The Miami Herald, 14 December 2009
  • The Providence Journal, 17 December 2009

• “Holdren on Letterman,” past AAAS President John P. Holdren talking to Dave Letterman about climate change, The Late Show, CBS, 17 April 2008

• “Time to Get Serious About Climate Change,” by John P. Holdren, past AAAS President, director of the Woods Hole Research Center and the Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at Harvard University, and Alan I. Leshner, AAAS CEO and executive publisher of Science, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 July 2006

Evolution in the News

• “Texas Case Threatens Education and Competitiveness Nationally,” Peter Agre and Alan I. Leshner, San Antonio Express-News online edition, 23 March 2009

• “Board's Actions Could Put Students at a Disadvantage,” Alan I. Leshner, Houston Chronicle, 22 October 2008

• “'Academic Freedom' Bill Dangerous Distraction,” Alan I. Leshner, Shreveport Times, 28 May 2008

• Letter to Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, Alan I. Leshner, 14 May 2008

• “Free Florida's Students From Lagging Behind,” Alan I. Leshner and Maryann Fiala, Orlando Sentinel, 7 April 2008

• “Teaching Evolution and Creationism,” Alan I. Leshner, The Diane Rehm Show, American University Radio (WAMU), 7 January 2008

• “Faith, Reason and a G.O.P. Hopeful,” Alan I. Leshner, New York Times, 1 June 2007

• “Museum of Confusion,” Alan I. Leshner, Lexington Herald-Leader, 26 May 2007

• “Intelligent Design: Critical Deception?,” Alan I. Leshner, Akron Beacon Journal, 11 September 2006

• “No Conflict Between Science and Religion,” Dr. Gilbert S. Omenn, chairman of AAAS and professor of medicine, genetics and public health at the University of Michigan, and Alan I. Leshner, Wichita Eagle, 31 July 2006

• “Science Education: Protecting Science, Religion,” Alan I. Leshner, The Oklahoman, 19 March 2006

• “Intelligent Standards or Religious Design? Keep Religion out of Science Classrooms,” Dr. Gilbert S. Omenn and Alan I. Leshner, Detroit Free Press, 8 March 2006

• “Threats to Science Education Hurt Religion, Too,” Alan I. Leshner and Baxter M. Wynn, D. Min., First Baptist Church, Greenville, The Greenville News, 7 March 2006 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “Should U.S. Schools Teach 'Intelligent Design?' No — Intelligent Design: A Dangerous Distraction,” Alan I. Leshner, Nevada Business Journal, February 2006

• “Let's Teach Science in the Science Classroom,” Alan I. Leshner, Salt Lake Tribune, 28 January 2006

• “It's Not the Scopes Monkey Trial II,” Alan I. Leshner, York Dispatch, 5 October 2005. Variations of this piece also appeared in the Morning Call of Allentown, Pa., and other newspapers near Dover, PA.

• “Parents: 'Intelligent Design' is Bad Education,” featuring commentary by Alan I. Leshner, in video from NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, 27 September 2005

• “Evolution and Intelligent Design,” with guests Alan I. Leshner, Richard Land and Nick Matzke, on the Diane Rehm Show, 4 August 2005

• “Debating How to Teach Science,” Alan I. Leshner, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2005

• “Uma Perigosa Tendência à Censura,” Alan I. Leshner, O Globo, 8 April 2005

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research

• “AAAS Response to Draft NIH Human Stem Cell Research Guidelines,” Alan I. Leshner, 20 May 2009

• AAAS's letter to President Barack Obama on support for stem cell research and scientific integrity, Alan I. Leshner, 9 March 2009

• “Standing in the Way of Stem Cell Research,” Alan I. Leshner and James A. Thomson, Washington Post, 3 December 2007

  This Washington Post op-ed was republished in the following newspapers:

  • St. Paul Pioneer Press (3 December 2007)
  • The Sacramento Bee (4 December 2007)
  • St. Petersburg Times (4 December 2007)
  • Atlanta Journal-Constitution (5 December 2007)
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch (5 December 2007)
  • The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey; 5 December 2007)
  • The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin; 6 December 2007)
  • Houston Chronicle, 8 December 2007
  • Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 December 2007

  This Washington Post op-ed was discussed on this site:

  • “A Stem Cell Breakthrough—No Thanks to Mr. Bush,” The Editorial Board, New York Times , "The Board" online blog, 6 December 2007

• “Balancing Values in the Stem Cell Debate,” by Alan I. Leshner, Washington Post, 18 July 2006

Science Across Borders

• "Treibstoff für Innovationen: Forschungsförderung Zahlt Sich Aus," Alan I. Leshner, Die Zeit, 27 September 2012 (Read this op-ed in English.)

• “Innovation, International Collaboration Go Hand in Hand,” by Stephen Toope and Alan I. Leshner, Vancouver Sun, 10 February 2012

• “Particelle, Mostre e Nobel Ecco la Festa Della Scienza,” by Alan I. Leshner, La Stampa (Italy), 27 June 2010

  • Read the unedited, English-language version of the essay submitted to La Stampa.

• “A Bridge Between Science, Society,” by Peter C. Agre and Alan I. Leshner, San Diego Union Tribune, 18 February 2010
  (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “More Opportunities Needed for U.S. Researchers to Work With Their Foreign Counterparts,” by Thomas R. Pickering and Peter Agre, The Baltimore Sun, 9 February 2010

• “The Science of Diplomacy,” by Vaughan Turekian and Kristin M. Lord, Foreign Policy, May 2009

• “Europe and the United States: A Crucial Moment for Science Cooperation,” Alan I. Leshner and Vaughan Turekian, Eureopean Commission Joint Research Center, February 2009 newsletter, 3 March 2009

• “Use Science for Diplomacy, Not Division,” Alan I. Leshner, The Baltimore Sun, 16 July 2007

• “Building Science, Building Trust,” Farkhonda Hassan and Alan I. Leshner, The Kuwait Times, 8 January 2007

• “Saving Science in Iraq,” Alan I. Leshner, The Boston Globe, 16 November 2004

Science Education

• Letter from Alan I. Leshner to Sen. Ford, (PDF) [21 March 2012]

• “Making Science Fun Stimulates Learning,” Alan I. Leshner and Tracy Ross, The Vancouver Sun, 25 August 2011 (The op-ed is also available as a text-only PDF.)

  This op-ed also appeared on:

  • NationTalk (National Aboriginal Newswire), 29 August 2011

• Letter from Alan I. Leshner to Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives (PDF), Re: HB 368 [5 April 2011]

• “Fix Science Education Now,” Alan I. Leshner, The Washington Post [published in an advertising supplement for the USA Science & Engineering Festival], 21 October 2010

• “Science, Virginia Need Common Standards,” Shirley Malcom and Alan I. Leshner, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 28 March 2010 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “School Standards Needed,” Alan I. Leshner and Jo Ellen Roseman, Daily News-Miner of Fairbanks, AK, 17 June 2009

• “Adopt National Standards to Help Children Compete,” Alan I. Leshner and Jo Ellen Roseman, Houston Chronicle, 10 June 2009

• “A Wake-up Call for Science Education,” Alan I. Leshner, Boston Globe, 12 January 2009

• “Letter to Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry,” Alan I. Leshner, 14 May 2008

• “Anti-Science Law Threatens Tech Jobs of Future,” Alan I. Leshner, New Orleans Times-Picayune, 6 May 2008

• “Charlie Rose: ‘The Imperative and Promise of Science’,” featuring Dr. Bruce Alberts, Shirley Ann Jackson, Sir Paul Nurse, Lisa Randall, and Harold Varmus; Charlie Rose, PBS, 7 April 2008

• “Don‘t Mess with Science Standards,” Alan I. Leshner, The Star-Telegram, 11 December 2007

  This op-ed also appeared in the Waco Tribune Herald on 13 December 2007.

• “National Standards: The Time is Now for Washington to Heed the Call,” Alan I. Leshner, The Washington Times, 15 August 2007

Science and Innovation

• "It's Time to Get Serious About Science," Jim Cooper and Alan I. Leshner, The Washington Post, 9 September 2012. As appeared in print edition

  This op-ed was republished in the following newspapers:

  • Sun Journal, 11 September 2012
  • Cap Times, 16 September 2012
  • The Tennessean, 20 September 2012

  Additional coverage of this op-ed and the Golden Goose Awards:

  • "Researchers Win 'Golden Goose Awards' for Seemingly Obscure but Useful Work," Nick DeSantis, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10 September 2012
  • "Five Best Monday Columns," Serena Dai, The Atlantic Wire, 10 Septemner 2012
  • "Science Oddities Win Golden Goose," Alan Boyle, NBCNews.com, 13 September 2012
  • "Golden Goose Awards Honor 'Silly' Science," Jeanna Bryner, CBS News, 14 September 2012
  • "'Wasteful' Science that Wasn't: New Prize Honors US-Funded Basic Research," John Timmer, Ars Technica, 14 September 2012

• “ ‘Analysis:Exclusive’ with Dr. Leshner,” International Innovation, June 2012

Science and Public Engagement

• “A Free Press Helps Drive Scientific Progress and Innovation,” by Alan I. Leshner, Wired, 23 June 2011.

• “We Need to Reward Those Who Nurture a Diversity of Ideas in Science,” by Alan I. Leshner, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6 March 2011 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “How Science Museums Are Promoting Civil Religion-Science Dialogue,” Alan I. Leshner, The Huffington Post, 2 October 2010 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “Science, Religion and Civil Dialogue,” Alan I. Leshner, The Huffington Post, 15 June 2010 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

  This op-ed also appeared in: The Washington Post, 16 June 2010

• “Peter Agre and Thomas Pickering: Solving Problems and Promoting Peace through Science Diplomacy,” 22 February 2010

• “Celebremos las Historias de la Ciencia,” Monica Bradford, El País, 26 October 2007

• “Beyond the Teachable Moment,” Alan I. Leshner, Journal of the American Medical Association, 19 September 2007 (First 150 words; full article requires subscription)

• “Science and Public Engagement,” Alan I. Leshner, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 October 2006

Science and U.S. Policy

• "Stalling Science Threatens Every Domain of Modern Life," Alan I. Leshner and Kent Kresa, The Bradenton Herald, 27 September 2012

  This op-ed was republished in the following newspapers:

  • Anchorage Daily News, 27 September 2012
  • Athens Banner-Herald, 27 September 2012
  • The Bellingham Herald, 27 September 2012
  • McClatchy-Tribune (Washington, DC), 27 September 2012
  • The Sacramento Bee, 27 September 2012

• Letter from Alan I. Leshner to appropriations leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. [8 November 2011]

• “AAAS Comments on Petition before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Nuclear Proliferation Assessments,” Alan I. Leshner [4 March 2011]

• “Coburn-McCain Report Goes Too Far,” Alan I. Leshner, Politico.com, 25 August 2010

• “Investment Pays Local Dividends,” Peter Agre and Marye Anne Fox, The San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 February 2010 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “Let‘s Resolve to Speed Medical Advances,” Alan I. Leshner, The Galveston County Daily News (Tex.), 22 December 2009 (The op-ed is also available as a PDF.)

• “Where do Obama and McCain Stand on Science?,” David Baltimore and Alan I. Leshner, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 21 September 2008

• “Why Won't the Candidates Debate Science?,” Carl E. Wieman and Alan I. Leshner, Denver Post, online commentary, 3 September 2008

• “Among Science-Debate Questions put to Candidates,” Alan I. Leshner, Philadelphia Inquirer, 17 March 2008

For more information on the AAAS Science Insights and News Service, contact Ginger Pinholster in the AAAS Office of Public Programs, 202-326-6421, gpinhols@aaas.org, or Kathy Wren, 781-646-1971, kwren@aaas.org.