The Societal Impacts and Policy Sciences (SIPS) Focus Group of AGU is casting off any impediments that may have kept us below the sonar, radar or lidar of the AGU membership at the 2014 Fall Meeting in San Francisco. We invite attendees to participate in a SIPS Lunch and Relaunch Event on Thursday, December 18 to discuss the objectives and activities of SIPS. The group was established in 2008, but has a revised name and an updated webpage, so the Fall Meeting is an opportune time for a meet, greet and critique.

The webpage has a statement of purpose that we invite all members to read and consider. The statement is worth repeating here: “The AGU Societal Impacts and Policy Sciences Focus Group (SIPS) seeks to (1) facilitate the connection between Earth and space science and society and (2) to help achieve AGU’s mission statement of promoting ‘discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity.’ SIPS serves to inform members about relevant societal and policy issues, provide opportunities to get involved in outreach efforts, provide resources to learn more about societal connections and policy efforts and to galvanize further conversations within AGU and with the broader community about connections between science and society.”

SIPS sent out a survey to group members in November about the statement and activities.  We received almost 200 responses with many insightful comments.  Among the top priorities of survey respondents is helping AGU members communicate with policymakers and providing science policy updates. Others can take the survey before or at the 2014 Fall Meeting. We will discuss the survey results, objectives and activities of SIPS at the relaunch event. Please join us.
SIPS Ahoy.
Linda R. Rowan, UNAVCO, Inc. President-Elect, Secretary, SIPS

Timothy A. Cohn, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), President SIPS

Maggie L. Walser, National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Secretary-Elect SIPS

William H. Hooke, American Meteorological Society (AMS), Past President SIPS

Leonard J. Pietrafesa, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Past President SIPS