ACS Science & the Congress Project

With more than 120 briefings to date, the ACS Science & the Congress Project conducts congressional briefings that provide opportunities for Members of the Congress and their staffs, and the wider science policy community, to gain a greater knowledge of the science involved in numerous public policy issues.

Science & the Congress was established in 1995 to provide a neutral and credible source of scientific information targeted to policymakers on Capitol Hill.

Expert speakers are chosen to provide a balanced presentation about the topic under discussion, and their comments are independent of any position that may be held by the American Chemical Society, the sponsors of Science & the Congress, or its co-hosts. More information on topics, speakers, presentations and related materials can be found at the individual briefing web pages below.

About the ACS Science & the Congress Project

Recent Congressional Briefings

Energy /Climate

• Energy, Water and Climate: Connecting the Dots (December 16, 2009)
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Advances in Geological CO₂ Sequestration (October 30, 2009) video available
• Regional Climate Models: A Critical Adaptation Tool for Communities & Industry (September 18, 2009) video available
• Enabling Renewable Energy: Building a Bigger Battery (June 16, 2009) video available
• Understanding the U.S. Energy Profile
  (March 27, 2009) video available
• Achieving Our Energy Goals: Alternative Transportation Fuels (February 6, 2009) video available
• Solar Power: Harnessing the Sun’s Energy (December 15, 2008) video available
• Greenland’s Shrinking Ice Sheet: Images, Measurements & Implications (September 9, 2008) video available
• How Do Biofuels Impact Greenhouse Gas Emissions? (August 1, 2008) video available
• Climate Change: Bringing together Science, Policy & Business (June 4, 2008)
• ZERO Carbon Solutions: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
  (April 16, 2008)

R&D/Innovation/Science Policy

• Cyber Physical Systems: Creating a Safer, Healthier, More Prosperous Future (July 9, 2009)
• More Bang for the R&D Buck: Young Researchers & High-Risk Research (February 27, 2009) video available
• The Nature of U.S. Innovation: The Federal Role (December 2, 2008) video available
• Future Research Directions in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (March 14, 2008) video available
• Balancing Science & Security in a Globalized World (March 4, 2008) video available
• Basic Research Drives Defense Technologies (February 28, 2008) audio available
• America, We Have a Problem
  (December 12, 2007)

Science Education & Workforce

• The Role of STEM Education in the Growing “Green Collar” Economy (September 16, 2009)
• Building a Diverse Scientific Workforce: Collaboration for a Competitive and Healthy Nation (March 12, 2009)
• K-12 STEM Education Models that Work (April 17, 2008)
• STEM Education, Girls and the Challenges that Follow: From the Classroom to STEM Careers (July 16, 2008)
• Educating to Advance Nanotechnology (January 23, 2008) video available
• Academic Diversity: A Look at Race, Ethnicity, & Gender in Higher Education (October 31, 2007)
• The Leaky Science and Engineering Pipeline: How Can We Retain More Women? (October 18, 2007)
• Putting the STEM in No Child Left Behind (September 21, 2007)
• The Importance of the Diversity Issue to the Competitiveness & Innovation Debate (June 28, 2007)

Chemicals Management/Environment, Health & Safety

• Advances in Toxicity Testing to Inform Chemicals Policy (December 10, 2009) video available
• Reforming Toxic Substances Control: Meet the Players (September 29, 2009) audio available
• Chemicals in Our Bodies: Use of Biomonitoring Data for Policy Making (March 20, 2009)
• Nanotechnology 102: Understanding Congress’s Role (April 18, 2008) video available
• Nanotechnology 101: Science, Technology and Health (March 12, 2008) video available

…Briefing Archive

Also see the ACS Global Challenges Podcasts

Contact Us:
American Chemical Society Science & the Congress Project
1155 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 872-8725
Fax: (202) 872-6206
E-mail