Public Affairs Committee

  • Joseph Yost, University of Utah (Chair, ’24)
  • Nathan Burns, University of Utah ('25)
  • Olivia George, University of Hawaii - West O'ahu ('24)
  • Michael Layden, Lehigh University ('25)
  • Christa Merzdorf, Montana State University ('24)
  • Eric Swindell, Baylor College Medicine ('26)
  • Isha Verma, University of Michigan ('26)
  • Ida Chow (ex officio)

Mission

The SDB Public Affairs Committee will lead discussions and draft statements related to science policy issues (such as research funding and evolution education), opportunities for education of the general public as it relates to important findings in developmental and evolutionary biology, and scientific issues of importance to our members. SDB currently partners with the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) for scientific advocacy at the national (and occasionally international) level. The SDB committee will serve in an advisory capacity to the SDB representative on the FASEB Public Affairs Committee. To be nimble and timely, the committee will largely hold discussions over the phone on an ad hoc basis as topics for discussion are brought forth by SDB members, FASEB and in response to requests for information on science policy issues.