Fellows Tackle Climate Change and Bring Making to the People

Many fellows form affinity groups to provide a forum to meet and discuss issues in specific areas of interest related to science and policy.

The Energy and Climate Affinty Group and the Social Science Affinity Group in collaboration with Bioneers hosted a two-day summit on June 5-6 that engaged government officials and staff, community, corporate and thought leaders, and journalists to discuss the governance issues raised by climate change resilience. Issues of governance — how collective decisions are made, interpreted, implemented, and challenged — can enable or impede activities to increase the nation’s resilience to climate change. View video clips from the summit here.

On June 9, the MaDTechEd (MOOCs and Disruptive Technologies in Education) Affinity Group convened the creators and funders of maker spaces and education policymakers to discuss: a) best practices in making and in the creation of maker spaces; b) policies (both existing and potential funding mechanisms) to facilitate making and education through making; and, c) policies to facilitate broader participation of women and minorities in STEM education through making. The maker movement is a technology-based outgrowth of the DIY (do-it-yourself) movement. View video clips here.

The MaDTechEd group also helped convene more than 3,000 people for Washington’s first DC Mini Maker Faire on June 8. The family-friendly event showcased DIY innovation from individuals and organizations including federal and local government, non-profits, academia, and industry.