The SSE Public Policy Committee provides funds for SSE members to attend the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Congressional Visits Day each year. The event takes place in Washington, DC and includes a free half-day training session and meetings with lawmakers. There is also the option to also attend the AIBS Communications Boot Camp for Scientists. 

SSE members at all career stages who are interested in communicating the importance of federal investments in scientific research and education to lawmakers are encouraged to apply. Funding can be used to cover the cost of the Communications Boot Camp and contribute toward travel and lodging. 

SSE members interested in using these funds for other advocacy opportunities are also welcome to apply. Email policy@evolutionsociety.org for more information.

Learn more about SSE membership and how to join, or check your current SSE membership status.

Applications are currently closed.

2025 Report

Written by recipients Madeline Eppley, Cooper Kimball Rhines, and Prothama Manna

	Madeline Eppley, Cooper Kimball Rhines, and Prothama Manna participated in the AIBS Communications Bootcamp for Scientists in Washington D.C. from April 28-30, 2025.
	Prothama Manna and her AIBS colleagues, Rina Talaba, Nicolas Hirsch, and Dinah Davison, meet with Representative Jan Schakowsky (Chicago) to advocate for sustained federal investment in scientific research and encourage her to sign a bipartisan “Dear Colleague” letter supporting increased research funding.
	Madeline Eppley and AIBS teammate Beth Murphy met with Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania during the Keystone Constituent Coffee Hour, where we discussed the importance of NSF funding for basic scientific research.
	Cooper Kimball-Rhines outside the office of Representative Maggie Goodlander.

 In April 2025, SSE sponsored our group of three graduate students to attend the American Institute of Biological Science (AIBS)’s Communications Boot Camp and Congressional Visits Day to advocate for continued science funding. While our areas of research span the taxonomic spectrum, we all shared an interest in science policy that led us to AIBS. Prothama studies invasion genomics focusing on Columbian invasive hippos at Ohio University, Madeline researches eastern oyster adaptation to disease and the environment at Northeastern University, and Cooper studies plant genetics for conservation policy at UMass Boston. We were joined at the AIBS Communications Boot Camp by a cohort of 30 participants, where we spent two days immersed in interactive workshops designed to hone our science advocacy and media-communication skills. Guided by AIBS policy experts, we learned to translate complex research into crisp elevator pitches, frame our talking points around real-world concerns, and craft messaging tailored to audiences from journalists to legislative staff. Mock interviews and practice Congressional meetings gave us the chance to trial our pitches, hone our funding asks, and receive immediate feedback on our delivery and timing.

Our communications experts quickly pointed out that as scientists, we often want to explain what we study, or how we study it, but for policymakers and many members of the public, the question we really need to answer is why? In the context of our Congressional visits, we were encouraged to frame our research around the priorities of the Senators and Congress members we were scheduled to meet. This shifted the focus of our introductory talking points. For example, rather than emphasizing hippos, Prothama focused on explaining the importance of understanding invasion mechanisms and early conservation interventions, Madeline emphasized aquaculture production to enhance domestic food security, and Cooper discussed learning from past extinctions to prevent future ones. 

Congressional Visits Day was hot and sunny, and we each quickly learned how exhausting it is to dash between Congressional office buildings. Between the three of us, we met with the staff of nine Congressmen and fourteen Senators. Each Congressional meeting was a little different. Some legislative staff were keenly aware of the importance of federal funding for research, including one NOAA Knauss fellow and another who was a former NSF GRFP recipient. Others had little idea what NSF was or the type of work it funds. Most were somewhere in the middle, meaning we had to personalize our talking points on the fly. To our surprise, many of the staff we spoke to were aware of the wave of grant cancellations and delays in funding decisions that have cast doubt over our research programs for the last year. We were told again and again that our Congressional offices knew that grants were being cancelled and funding withheld, but they didn't know specific information, like which grants or who it was affecting. Staffers explained that whenever they try to get information from Executive agencies, they don't get useful replies. We were encouraged to share our stories about how federal funding affects our lives, research, and communities, but also to encourage anyone who has had a grant cancelled to tell their congressional representatives about it.

Personal touches were always appreciated by Congressional staffers. We each have some reliance on federal funding, either through our lab or through the GRFP, so we all introduced as many human elements into our meetings as possible. Some stories were hits with everyone, like how NSF-funded research led to agricultural drones now used by farmers, or how a new hard cider brewery in New England is using a strain of yeast the founder discovered while on an NSF grant. In some meetings, we found it helpful to first seek common ground between our funding ask and the congress member’s priorities. We discussed how a reduction in federal science funding results in fiscal and job losses at the state level, and the importance of maintaining science funding to keep the United States globally competitive. We also emphasized the importance of federal funding for research that spans multiple states or regions, as state-level funding often does not fund research of that scope.

This experience reaffirmed the indispensable role that professional societies play in science advocacy. By uniting diverse voices into a coherent message, providing skill-building opportunities like the AIBS Communications Boot Camp, and leveraging established networks to sustain engagement with policymakers, societies amplify individual efforts into meaningful influence. We are deeply grateful to the SSE Public Policy Committee for funding our participation—covering travel, lodging, and registration—and to AIBS for their expert logistical and pedagogical support. If you are interested in science policy, consider applying for this year’s AIBS Communications Boot Camp and Congressional Visits Day.