Local Science Engagement Network Community

This month-January-is all about Fellows! Not just jolly good ones, but actual AAAS Fellows. The AAAS Fellowship, which recognizes scientifically or socially distinguished effort to advance science or its applications, is one of the most prestigious honors a U.S. scientist can receive. Fellows are elected by their academic peers and the announcement of the newest class of AAAS Fellows is made in January, which is an appropriate way to begin the new year.

For all of us, the start of a new year is all about beginnings, fresh starts, and new year's resolutions.

Questions this month: 

1. What are YOU looking to gain from being a part of the scientific community and from being a part of your particular AAAS Community or Communities?

2. How can we, as fellow advocates for science, help each other with our own goals for this year?

A closing thought and a final question: 

Bill Nye ("The Science Guy") has written, "Everyone you'll ever meet knows something you don't." These are powerful words that remind us to exercise humility and remain respectful in our dealings with each other no matter who we are and with whom we are dealing. Can you identify an incident or situation in which Bill Nye's words of wisdom applied for you-or, perhaps more significantly, when they could have applied if you were the person you should be rather than the one you were at the time?

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Elliot Richman, PhD
Baltimore, Maryland
richmanelliot@gmail.com
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Hi Elliot, 

Thank you for asking these questions.

You are correct that AAAS Fellowship is highly distinguished, and definitely something to aspire to. A recent AAAS Fellow told me that "You are next." That made me smile, feel empowered, and happy to learn that such an honor is possible. It was indeed a humbling experience. AAAS Fellows are amazing individuals to look up to and learn from.

1. What are YOU looking to gain from being a part of the scientific community and from being a part of your particular AAAS Community or Communities? - In being part of this multidisciplinary scientific community, I am looking to learn from and teach others. In addition, I am hoping to apply what I learn in AAAS to my local scientific and non-scientific community network, and the network of professionals in my field. This community presents ample opportunity for us to learn from each other. AAAS as a whole has been one of the most beneficial organizations that I've been part of because of open and supportive communities like this. 

2. How can we, as fellow advocates for science, help each other with our own goals for this year? - Having open and honest discussions about what works and does not work in some of the way that we apply our skills in the community. We can have those discussions via this thread, interactions at the conference, or other AAAS-related opportunities. All in all, I think that we could all benefit from learning from each other. After all, what we do as scientists are selfless acts. It is not easy to teach, promote and demonstrate the benefits of science to a community that has grown skeptical in recent years, but this work is too important not to pursue. 

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Endia J. Crabtree, PhD, BCMAS, CDP
AAAS Superhero

Senior Clinical Evaluation Scientist
Clinical Product Risk
Peripheral Interventions
Boston Scientific Corp.

Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist
Certified Diversity Professional
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Original Message:
Sent: 4/25/2023 9:46:00 PM
From: Endia Crabtree
Subject: RE: January 2023 Topic for Discussion

Hi Elliot, 

Thank you for asking these questions.

You are correct that AAAS Fellowship is highly distinguished, and definitely something to aspire to. A recent AAAS Fellow told me that "You are next." That made me smile, feel empowered, and happy to learn that such an honor is possible. It was indeed a humbling experience. AAAS Fellows are amazing individuals to look up to and learn from.

1. What are YOU looking to gain from being a part of the scientific community and from being a part of your particular AAAS Community or Communities? - In being part of this multidisciplinary scientific community, I am looking to learn from and teach others. In addition, I am hoping to apply what I learn in AAAS to my local scientific and non-scientific community network, and the network of professionals in my field. This community presents ample opportunity for us to learn from each other. AAAS as a whole has been one of the most beneficial organizations that I've been part of because of open and supportive communities like this. 

2. How can we, as fellow advocates for science, help each other with our own goals for this year? - Having open and honest discussions about what works and does not work in some of the way that we apply our skills in the community. We can have those discussions via this thread, interactions at the conference, or other AAAS-related opportunities. All in all, I think that we could all benefit from learning from each other. After all, what we do as scientists are selfless acts. It is not easy to teach, promote and demonstrate the benefits of science to a community that has grown skeptical in recent years, but this work is too important not to pursue. 

------------------------------
Endia J. Crabtree, PhD, BCMAS, CDP
AAAS Superhero

Senior Clinical Evaluation Scientist
Clinical Product Risk
Peripheral Interventions
Boston Scientific Corp.

Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist
Certified Diversity Professional
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