“It is energizing to see the civic science ideas advanced by the emerging leaders contributing to this issue—part of a new generation lighting paths toward a future where science, communities,
philanthropy, and policy better connect to expand benefits for all,” said Elizabeth Christopherson, President and CEO of the Rita Allen Foundation. “We’re pleased to collaborate with Sigma Xi and JSPG to present this opportunity for sharing insights from these pilot programs, systems analyses, and calls for policy change, sparking inspiration for new innovation.”

In the seven published articles, authors in this special issue of JSPG highlight novel funding mechanisms to increase community engagement, support for evidence synthesis and access to preprints, ways to utilize cross-department structures to facilitate transdisciplinary stewardship models, a blueprint for inserting relational infrastructure to grow community engagement, the need for increasing diversity of congressional staffers in the United States, and how funding announcement language can encourage deeper connections to local communities.  

‘JSPG is thrilled to help our authors contribute to the ongoing debate and definition of civic science. These articles, collectively, make an undeniable argument for the mutual exchange necessary for meaningful civic science. Further, our authors highlight and challenge the many institutional barriers preventing such a reciprocal, equitable dynamic between science and the public. It’s inspiring to see our authors expand ongoing debates in energy transition, clinical trials, and more with the utility and impact of civic science,” said Andy Sanchez, JSPG Editor-in-Chief.

Published articles were entered into a competition judged by an external review committee. The journal and the special issue partners are proud to provide first-, second-, and third-place winners with monetary awards. 

The winners of the JSPG, Sigma XI, and Rita Allen Foundation competition for the Special Topics Issue are as follows:

First Place: 
Promoting Transparent, Fair, and Inclusive Practices in Grantmaking: Lessons from the Open and Equitable Model Funding Program — (Eunice Mercado-Lara, Greg Tananbaum, Erin C. McKiernan)

Second Place: 
Community-Driven Civic Science: Relationship Building to Prioritize Public Needs — (Kristine Lu, Colleen O’Brien, Grace Wickerson)
Rethinking Civic Science Funding to Better Support Community Engagement — (Andrea Isabel López, Mónica I. Feliú Mójer)

Third Place:
From Intent to Impact: Enabling Transdisciplinary Research for   Responsible Scientific Stewardship — (Wilson R. Sinclair)

We thank competition reviewers for their efforts and greatly appreciate their input towards selecting the winners: Karen Akerlof (George Mason University), Melissa Varga (Union of Concerned Scientists), Russ Campbell (Burroughs Wellcome Fund), Hallie Thompson (Radicle), Elena Denia (Tufts University), and Christian Ross (Civic Science Consultant).

“The seven articles competitively selected for this issue demonstrate a wide range of timely topics significant to the evolution of the field of civic science,” said Julianne McCall, JSPG CEO & Managing Publisher. “Stretching research from the vacuum of laboratories into real-world settings has not only compelled academics to apply and develop more sophisticated methods of studying and drawing insights but also enhanced our ability as a society to work collectively to tackle the most pressing and pervasive challenges. For our first issue of 2024, during a time of difficulty and uncertainty, we could not have partnered with more meaningful organizations as Sigma Xi and the Rita Allen Foundation to deliver these messages of brilliant, structural, and hopeful solutions.”

This Special Issue is supported in kind by outreach partners from Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL), and the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST).

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About JSPG
The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is an international, open-access peer-reviewed publication managed by and for students, policy fellows, and young scholars in science, technology, and innovation policy. JSPG publishes high-quality articles covering the widest range of topics in formats that are accessible to policymakers. Since 2011, JSPG has served as a vehicle for students and early career researchers to bolster their research and writing credentials in science policy. Visit https://www.sciencepolicyjournal.org/ and follow on Twitter @SciPolJournal to learn more.

About Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, founded in 1886, is the world’s largest multidisciplinary honor society exclusively for scientists and engineers. The Society’s mission is to enhance the health of the research enterprise, foster integrity in science and engineering, and promote the public understanding of science for the purpose of improving the human condition. Over 500 Sigma Xi chapters can be found wherever scientific research is undertaken at colleges, universities, government laboratories, and industry research centers worldwide. Among our 100,000 inductees, more than 200 are Nobel Prize winners. The Society is based in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Visit https://www.sigmaxi.org/ and follow on Twitter @SigmaXiSociety to learn more. 

About Rita Allen Foundation
The Rita Allen Foundation is a venture philanthropy organization that invests in transformative ideas in their earliest stages to leverage their growth and promote breakthrough solutions to significant problems. The Foundation is developing new investments, research, and coalitions to strengthen civic science as a growing field of study and area of practice committed to ensuring that all people shape and benefit from science, technology, and innovation. In addition, the Foundation invests in early-career biomedical scholars to do pioneering research, seeds innovative approaches to fostering informed civic engagement, and develops knowledge and networks to build the effectiveness of the philanthropic sector. We embrace learning through experimentation, network-weaving, bridge-building, and knowledge-sharing to advance the civic potential of diverse communities; philanthropy; science, and technology for the public good. Visit https://ritaallen.org/ and https://civicsciencefellows.org or follow on LinkedIn to learn more.

About ARIS 
The Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) works with U.S. and international scientists and engagement practitioners to build capacity, advance scholarship, grow partnerships and provide resources to help them engage with and demonstrate the impact of research in their communities and society. The work of the center is beneficial to researchers who increase knowledge and discovery, to practitioners who collaborate with researchers and community stakeholders, and to the public who benefit from research and education advancements. ARIS is home to a thriving community of practice including more than 1,000 members. Visit https://researchinsociety.org/ and follow on Twitter @arisimpacts to learn more.

About UCS
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a national nonprofit organization founded more than 50 years ago by scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Its mission is to use rigorous, independent science to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with people across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future. Visit ucsusa.org and follow on Twitter @UCSUSA to learn more.

About ESAL
Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL) is a national organization dedicated to increasing local civic engagement by people with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Visit https://esal.us/  and follow on Twitter @ESAL_us to learn more.

About CCST
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature in 1988. We engage leading experts in science and technology to advise State policymakers, ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation. Visit https://ccst.us/ and follow on Twitter @CCSTorg to learn more.​

Washington, DC (October 23, 2023) – The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is pleased to release Volume 23, Issue 01, the 2023 standard summer issue of the journal.​

The Governing Board of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance named Julianne McCall, PhD, as the new chief executive officer and managing publisher, effective September 18, 2023. McCall succeeds Adriana Bankston who served as CEO since 2021 and transitioned to a Strategic Advisor role last month. Read Bankston’s farewell message.
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McCall serves the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research as Director of Precision Medicine. She joined the staff of JSPG in February 2022 as Director of Programs and Events and brings publishing experience as a member of the Editorial Board of the California Journal of Politics and Policy, past Editor of the German Fulbright Association annual publication, The FRANKly, and author of several science policy reports, including the first-ever California Surgeon General’s Report, the California Senate Report “Optimizing Public Benefits of State-Funded Research,” and “Science Policy: A Career Guide to Policy Careers for Scientists”.

Following 16 years of conducting neuroscience research, most recently at Heidelberg University in Germany, McCall assumed roles in science policy beginning in 2016, including a fellowship with the California Council on Science and Technology and leading public health and research policy for the California Senate Office of Research. In the community, McCall has held numerous posts in science outreach, STEM education, and community engagement, including as founder of neuroscience olympiads, Director of the International Brain Bee World Championship, and co-founder of TEDxFulbright. She also teaches graduate courses and professional science and technology policy programs, including at the University of California Davis, the University of California Riverside, and the Japan-US Science Communications and Policy Fellowship Program.

“Like the three extraordinary CEOs before me who built and led the journal to its current international standing, I feel fortunate to be joined in this effort by a team of dedicated and stunningly talented staff and editors in carrying forward the journal’s significant work to elevate science and technology policy solutions for local to global challenges,” said McCall. “The world is changing before our eyes, and scientists and engineers have never been more needed in decision-making spaces to anchor and guide societal advances with evidence and equity at the forefront. I’m excited to help shepherd policy concepts, particularly from early career STEM professionals and students, which not only apply data-driven insights but also acknowledge and account for the complexities of diverse communities in which public investments take shape and impact lives.”

The full JSPG leadership team will be engaged over the months ahead in developing a strategic plan to expand the journal’s presence internationally, foster additional capabilities for published authors to bridge the divide between policy research and policy change, and continue to build upon world-class partnerships to generate and drive solutions to our era’s most pressing challenges.​

Washington, DC (July 6, 2023) – JSPG CEO Adriana Bankston was recently named to the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council. In addition to her role with JSPG, Bankston is Founder & CEO of Bankston Policy Consulting, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. that empowers students and early career researchers to impact policy at all levels of government. 

NSBA is the nation’s oldest small business advocacy organization, and operates on a staunchly nonpartisan basis. As a recognized leader in science policy and advocacy, and more recently among the small business community, Bankston joins the NSBA Leadership Council alongside other advocates from across the country to promote the interests of small businesses to policymakers in Washington, D.C.

The NSBA Leadership Council engages with Congress, the administration, state and local government and the media, and provides valuable networking opportunities. “I look forward to showcasing the role that small businesses play in fostering future scientific and technological innovations driven by the next generation and building a robust workforce to help maintain our nation’s economic growth and competitiveness,” said Bankston.

Bankston joined the NSBA Leadership Council as part of her efforts to tackle critical issues facing small businesses. These include the need for improving workforce access, training and skills development, addressing the labor shortage and reforming the U.S. immigration system to enable small businesses nationwide to continue innovating across sectors. 

“I am proud to have Adriana Bankston as part of our Leadership Council,” NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken said. “She came to us highly recommended and I look forward to our coordinated efforts for years to come.”

Bankston Policy Consulting provides a variety of services to stakeholders and individuals invested in and working towards building the next generation STEM workforce through policy change across a number of industries within the science, technology and innovation ecosystem. Click here to learn more about the firm.

For more on the NSBA, please visit www.nsba.biz.

“We hope this special issue highlights the brand of inclusive and collaborative leadership being nurtured in Latin America and the Caribbean that will help articulate a vision of how our hemisphere can assume greater leadership in the international decision-making space and more forcefully articulate its priorities and needs. The recommendations and insights from the early-career authors published in this issue, as leaders and agents of change, should be shared with local, national and international organizations as positive examples of how to achieve a vision of a sustainable Americas,” said Marcos Regis Da Silva, Executive Director, Inter-American Institute for Global Change. 

In the 7 published articles, authors in this special issue of JSPG highlight several themes that include science diplomacy, sustainability, ocean pollution, youth centered climate solutions,  public policy for plastic pollution regulation, and stakeholder engagement in the measurement and best practices necessary to ensure a sustainable supply chain for lithium electric vehicle batteries. 

Authors published in the Special Topics Issue will present in two hybrid panels during the Sustainability Research + Innovation 2023 conference in South Africa. On Monday, June 26, the panel will discuss how to foster dialogue on the mechanisms, barriers, and changes needed to strengthen youth voices from the Americas in global climate change fora and negotiations. On Friday, June 30, the panel will describe policy research published in this special issue, facilitate broader conversations around development policy and global change science, and build the next generation of policy leaders.​

Washington, DC (June 12, 2023) – JSPG CEO Dr. Adriana Bankston provided remarks during the 4th listening session of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on Open Science Possibilities for Training and Capacity Building: Perspectives from the Early Career Researcher-Supporting Community. This session was part of a series of events exploring perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for advancing open science in the U.S. and solutions that might be implemented by the government. View more details about the series from the OSTP Year of Open Science.

During this session, Dr. Bankston addressed the following points:

• Discussed the background and goals of JSPG to support the next generation in science policy for over a decade;
• Offered the journal as a resource for this community as an open access and peer reviewed publication managed by and for students, policy fellows and young scholars in science, technology and innovation policy;
• Emphasized how the journal can help overcome barriers for the next generation to engage in open science;
• Described JSPG's role in supporting professional development through trainings for research and writing credentials in science policy; and
  
• Highlighted how trainees have used their JSPG publications and other journal opportunities when applying for science policy fellowships and as a way to jumpstart their policy careers.
  

During her remarks, Dr. Bankston highlighted the special issue on open science policy with UNESCO published last year, as an example of how trainees are driving the future of open science. The special issue addressed multiple facets of this topic, including open science practices, incentives, data, infrastructure, international cooperation and citizen science. She urged the audience to read this special issue to learn what the next generation is saying about this topic.

To conclude, Dr. Bankston expressed her hopes that JSPG can be a mechanism by which to help overcome systemic barriers for trainees within universities by providing them with opportunities to publish and have training resources from outside the university. In the light of this session, Dr. Bankston's hope is that the federal government can support nonprofit journals and publications that develop capacity for the next generation, encourage academic systemic change and foster cross-sector collaborations to ensure their success but also train the next generation in this area. 

Dr. Bankston then spoke with Dr. Fanuel Muindi, Chief Resident at STEM Advocacy Institute, about her takeaways from this listening session, as well as how JSPG strategically engages in partnerships for special issues such as with UNESCO. She also mentioned the newly released call for papers for a special issue on Civic Science for Transformative Policy Solutions to Societal Challenges co-sponsored by Sigma Xi and the Rita Allen Foundation. This call for papers is relevant to the topic at hand given the importance of open access to scientific knowledge and data in order for the next generation to participate in effective public engagement and bridge the gap between science and society through their publications.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC—Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, in partnership with the Rita Allen Foundation, welcomes Adriana Bankston, PhD in the position of senior fellow, civic science & public policy. In the new role, Bankston will lead a project that examines science policy engagement at the state level and determines the skills, knowledge, and resources required by scientists to successfully influence public policy.

The Civic Science Fellowship program seeks to broaden engagement with science and research to inform policies and develop solutions for societal challenges. Bankston will work closely with Sigma Xi leadership to develop, launch, and manage an online platform to connect current policy players, showcase policy-engaged organizations, and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to successfully engage and achieve societal change through policy impact at the state level.

Since 2021, Bankston has served as CEO and managing publisher of The Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG), an internationally recognized non-profit organization and peer-reviewed publication dedicated to empowering early career scientists, engineers, and policy professionals in international science policy debate. She is also a biomedical workforce & policy research investigator at the STEM Advocacy Institute (SAi), where she works to cultivate the next generation workforce through science policy. Finally, Bankston is a fellow with Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), where she also received the inaugural ARIS Emerging Broader Impacts Leader Award in 2022. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology from Emory University.

"I am honored to work with Sigma Xi in this new role and contribute to enhancing the connection between science and society through public policy,” said Bankston. “Local engagement of scientists with the policymaking process is critical to developing the next generation of leaders in the field and empowering them to improve society through policy change.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Bankston to the Sigma Xi team,” said Jamie Vernon, executive director and CEO of Sigma Xi. “Her expertise will advance Sigma Xi’s efforts to identify synergies within the science policy training ecosystem and increase efficiency and capacity for creating evidence-informed policy at the state level.”

As the senior fellow for civic science & public policy at Sigma Xi, Bankston will be connected to a national network of Fellows from diverse backgrounds working on a variety of multidisciplinary projects. The Civic Science Fellowship program led by the Rita Allen Foundation promotes a culture of civic science in which scientists engage with local communities through a variety of projects, including fostering connections with policymakers.

More About Sigma Xi: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society is the world’s largest multidisciplinary honor society for scientists and engineers. Its mission is to enhance the health of the research enterprise, foster integrity in science and engineering, and promote the public understanding of science for the purpose of improving the human condition. Sigma Xi chapters can be found at colleges and universities, government laboratories, and industry research centers around the world. More than 200 Nobel Prize winners have been members. The Society is based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. www.sigmaxi.org. On Twitter: @SigmaXiSociety.