AAAS 2017 Annual Meeting on the theme – Serving Society Through Science Policy will be held in Boston February 16-20, 2017. The deadline for submission of Scientific session proposals is Friday, April 22, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Decisions will be announced in early July 2016 after the completion of external review and final selection by the AAAS Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee.

Theme Description:

To make decisions, societies rely on knowledge and multiple perspectives. Policies both within and outside science should be informed by the best available evidence. Science alone cannot translate knowledge into viable policy options; other factors include societal norms and cultural values. One aspect of science policy is advancing the practice of science: How do we continually improve scientific methods, mechanisms, and outputs to increase the value of science to society? Another aspect of science policy is providing the best available scientific evidence to policymakers, community leaders, and citizens. How can we most effectively provide scientific evidence that informs policy? What are the roles for scientists as individuals and for the scientific enterprise as a whole in the policy landscape? What emerging and established areas of science are essential to future policy decisions?

Career Development Workshops
Career development workshops are aimed at both individuals seeking careers in science and engineering, and professionals looking to sharpen or supplement their skills. These workshops are instructional or informational in nature and are markedly different from a scientific session. All workshops are 60 minutes in length.

Scientific Sessions
In total, there are now three session types: the 90-minute symposium format; the 90-minute discussion-focused format; and the 15-minute “flash talk” format.

• 90-Minute Symposium Format: This is the standard symposium format. Symposium should be focused on topics and projects with broad appeal and relevancy.
• 90-Minute Discussion-Focused Format: This is a slight variation on the standard symposium format, intended to emphasize discussion and interaction with the audience.
• 15-Minute Flash Talk Format: Flash talks are intended to give individuals the opportunity to provide an introduction to a particular topic or area of research (one speaker only per submission).