I have never posted to Ecolog before, but I felt I couldn't keep my mouth shut about this one.
First, I don't think we can necessarily know why the news doesn't pick up on ESA more. Likely, it's because the general public doesn't care, but perhaps it may be that they are tired feeling like ecologists tell them that their lifestyles and values are wrong. Personally, I think it's because people don't care. In my experience speaking with the public, I always proffer an explanation of what I do immediately after saying that I am a 'microbial ecologist,' because most people I speak with don't even know what ecology is. Second, if these thousands of ecologists really want to engage the public, how about letting the locals come to ESA? I know that non-members are invited to attend, but honestly, you have to be wealthy or have a wealthy grant pay for you to come to be able to pay 500$ and take off days to a week from work to be involved in the meeting. My mother reads my Frontiers magazine religiously. She loves it. She is also part of a 'sustainability' group at her international corporation. She lives very close to Austin, has the ability to take time off of work, but as a middle-class citizen, simply cannot afford it. If these thousands of ecologists are really interested in engaging with the public, how about creating events at ESA for the locals that are affordable? My mother has no scientific background, but is smart, learns fast, and loves to learn. There are a lot of people like this everywhere we have meetings. Yet we preach engagement with the public from our over-air-conditioned conference rooms, doors closed and barred to those we wish to engage with. Phenomenal. I know our over-air conditioned convention centers cost a lot of money to rent and ESA is an expensive venture to host, but surely we can create some sort of scholarship fund for locals, special free events for public engagement (THIS is how you get in the news), or even a lottery for one-day passes to attend talks. Let's help people understand what in the world it is we do. If I could have afforded to send my mom to ESA, I would have done it in a heartbeat. She would have loved it and told all her friends, co-workers, and her church group all the things she learned. Do we want to engage more with people across religious boundaries? In the heart of a red state, what a boon actually engaging with the religious public would be. Kali Bird Graduate Student Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University
