On December 5-6, 2018, the American Institute of Biological Science (AIBS) held discussions on the challenges facing scientists who work within an international platform. The conference, titled "Next Gen International Biology," had participants from multiple countries, and included people involved in various branches of science, publishing, museums, and political representatives. SSE funded a representative from our Public Policy Committee, Amanda Moehring, to attend. Continue reading to hear more about her experience.
“At the conference, I spoke about the difficulties facing international science, with a particular focus on issues related to transporting organisms over international borders and precarious funding for large-scale internationally-used databases. Additional topics that were discussed at the conference included the Nagoya protocol, the impact of open-access requirements on publishing, mechanisms and outcomes of engaging with policymakers, productive and inclusive paths towards performing research in international locations, and the need for increased international representation in scientific societies and editorial boards. Some of these issues we can, and should, fix internally - such as improving international representation on society and editorial boards - while others require direct or indirect interfacing with political agencies. Most of these issues can be daunting for individual scientists, which is why it can be useful for scientists to get involved with larger organizations, such as SSE or AIBS, in order to enact change.”