Government Affairs Committee    

Government Affairs Subcommittees

• Advocacy Engagement Subcommittee

  Chair: Jennifer Nekuda Malik, Freelance Science Writer
  HQ Liaison: Damon Dozier, Director of Government Affairs
  

  The new Advocacy Education and Outreach Subcommittee will include both standing volunteer members and ad hoc volunteers for project-specific work and include a scope of work that will build on and add value to other existing GAC Subcommittee activities. It will have three leads for the following activities:  Congressional Fellowship Program, Policy Events, and Advocacy collaboration.  Additional details will be provided.

  Roster

  
  
• Congressional Visits Day Subcommittee
  Chair: William F. Hammetter, Sandia National Laboratories (retired)
  Co-Chair: Joshua Caldwell, Vanderbilt University
  HQ Liaison: Damon Dozier, Director of Government Affairs
  
  The Congressional Visits Subcommittee provides opportunities for MRS members to visit key Congressional Offices and government agencies to advocate for basic science funding.
  
  Roster
  
  
• Government Agency Subcommittee

  Chair: Jeremy Ward, Air Force Research Laboratory
  HQ Liaison: Damon Dozier, Director of Government Affairs
  

  The Government Agency Subcommittee engages representatives of funding agencies to participate in the MRS Spring and Fall Meetings to explain current initiatives and the mechanics of proposals to attendees. It also plans and hosts an annual Government Agency Summit, during which agency leaders meet with the presidents of materials-related societies to discuss topics of mutual interest.
  
  Roster

  
  
• Grassroots Subcommittee
  Chair: Boris A. Dyatkin, Naval Research Laboratory
  HQ Liaison: Damon Dozier, Director of Government Affairs
  
  The Grassroots Subcommittee serves the materials science community by providing two-way communication between MRS members and national legislators. Through the Subcommittee’s efforts, members stay aware of legislation that affects scientific research. In return, the Subcommittee provides an opportunity for members to contact the President and members of the United States Congress through signed letters that the members send through Materials Voice. The Grassroots Subcommittee also issues Public Affairs Alerts to notify members of urgent issues; hosts the Materials Voice kiosk at the MRS Spring and Fall Meetings; and produces a quarterly e-newsletter, INTERSECTIONS, which discusses issues related to science and legislation.
  
  Roster