American Association for the Advancement of Science facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Abbreviation	AAAS
Pronunciation	Triple-A S
Founded	September 20, 1848 (176 years ago) (1848-09-20)
Focus	Science education and outreach
Location	William T. Golden Center for Science and Engineering Washington, D.C., U.S.
Members	120,000+
Formerly called	Association of American Geologists and Naturalists

The AAAS office building in Washington, D.C.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a big international group in the United States. It is a non-profit organization. Its main goal is to help scientists work together. It also protects scientific freedom. The AAAS encourages scientists to be responsible. It supports science education and sharing science with everyone. This helps make life better for all people.

The AAAS was the first group created to promote science and engineering across the country. It represents scientists from all different fields. It is the largest general science society in the world. More than 120,000 people are members. The AAAS also publishes a very famous science magazine called Science.

History of the AAAS

How the AAAS Started

The American Association for the Advancement of Science began on September 20, 1848. This happened at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was a new version of an older group. That group was called the Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. The new AAAS had a bigger mission. It aimed to be the first lasting group to support science and engineering in the nation. It also wanted to speak for American researchers in all science areas.

The group chose William Charles Redfield as its first president. He had the best ideas for how the organization should work. The first rules of the AAAS said its goal was to encourage scientific talks. This would help scientists work together better. By doing this, the AAAS hoped to use resources more efficiently. This would help science move forward faster. The group also wanted to get more resources for science. They did this by actively supporting science.

When the AAAS first started, it had only 78 members. Matthew Fontaine Maury, a U.S. Navy officer, was one of the people at that first meeting in 1848.

At a meeting on September 22, 1848, Matthew Fontaine Maury shared his work. He talked about his Wind and Current Charts. Maury explained that many ship captains were sending him their travel records. He said, "Never before was such a group of observers known." But he needed more "simultaneous observations." He believed his work was for everyone, not just one country. The AAAS minutes show that they thought about asking other countries to help. They wanted navies around the world to share their ship logs with Maury.

William Barton Rogers, a professor, suggested a plan. He wanted a committee to ask the Secretary of the Navy for help. They hoped to get observations from European and other foreign sailors. This would help Maury improve his charts. The idea was approved. This showed how much they valued scientific teamwork.

In 1850, the AAAS welcomed its first female members. They were Maria Mitchell, an astronomer, and Margaretta Morris, an entomologist. Science educator Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps joined in 1859.

Growth and a Break During the Civil War

By 1860, the AAAS had grown to over 2,000 members. The group stopped meeting during the American Civil War. Their August 1861 meeting was put off forever. This happened after the first big battle of the war. But the AAAS did not disappear because of the war.

In 1866, Frederick Augustus Porter Barnard led the first meeting of the AAAS after the war. This meeting was in New York City. After its return, the AAAS grew a lot. The AAAS allowed anyone to join, even if they were not famous scientists. However, the AAAS started giving the title "Fellow of the AAAS" to highly respected scientists.

During these peaceful years, many other science groups started. These new groups often focused on just one area of science. For example, the American Chemical Society, started in 1876, is only about chemistry. The AAAS was different because it wanted to bring many science fields together.

In 1863, the U.S. Congress created the United States National Academy of Sciences. This was another group for many science areas. It chooses members based on what their colleagues suggest. It also looks at the value of their published work.

AAAS Advocacy and Impact

Alan I. Leshner was the AAAS CEO from 2001 to 2015. He wrote many articles about how people combine science and religion. He was against putting non-scientific ideas into school science classes. These ideas included creationism or intelligent design.

In December 2006, the AAAS made a clear statement about climate change. They said, "The science is clear: global climate change is happening now. It is caused by human actions. It is a growing threat to society." They added that the changes and harm had increased a lot in five years. They stressed that it was time to control greenhouse gas emissions.

In February 2007, the AAAS used satellite pictures to show human rights problems in Burma. The next year, the AAAS started the Center for Science Diplomacy. This center helps science and relationships between countries. It does this by promoting science diplomacy and international science teamwork.

In 2012, the AAAS warned about budget cuts. They said that cuts to U.S. federal research would greatly harm scientific progress. They wrote articles, held events, and shared analyses of the budget.

Areas of Science Covered by AAAS

The AAAS works in many different areas of science and engineering. It has 24 sections. Each section has a committee and a leader. These committees also choose new "Fellows" each year. The sections include:

• Agriculture, Food & Renewable Resources
• Anthropology
• Astronomy
• Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Sciences
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences
• Education
• Engineering
• General Interest in Science and Engineering
• Geology and Geography
• History and Philosophy of Science
• Industrial Science and Technology
• Information, Computing, and Communication
• Linguistics and Language Sciences
• Mathematics
• Medical Sciences
• Neuroscience
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Physics
• Psychology
• Social, Economic, and Political Sciences
• Societal Impacts of Science and Engineering
• Statistics

How the AAAS is Run

AAAS leaders and senior officials in 1947.

The AAAS has a Constitution, last updated in 1973. It says that four groups run the AAAS. These are a President, a group of administrative officers, a Council, and a board of directors.

AAAS Presidents

People chosen to be president of the AAAS serve for three years in a special way. The first year, they are the president-elect. The second year, they are the president. The third year, they become the chairperson of the board of directors. Presidents are named by the year they finish their term.

Geraldine L. Richmond was the AAAS president for 2015–16. Phillip Allen Sharp was the board chair. Barbara A. Schaal was the president-elect. They all started their roles in February 2015.

Many important scientists have been AAAS presidents. These include explorer John Wesley Powell (1888), astronomer Edward Charles Pickering (1912), anthropologist Margaret Mead (1975), and biologist Stephen Jay Gould (2000).

Some important AAAS presidents from 1848–2005

Administrative Officers

Three types of high-level officers handle the daily work of the AAAS. These are the executive officer, the treasurer, and the secretary for each AAAS section. Sudip Parikh is the current CEO of AAAS. He is also the executive publisher of Science magazine. Holden Thorp is the current Editor in Chief of Science magazine.

AAAS Sections

The AAAS has 24 "sections." Each section focuses on a specific area of science. For example, there are sections for agriculture, astronomy, biological science, chemistry, education, engineering, mathematics, medical science, physics, and psychology.

Affiliated Groups

The AAAS also has 262 affiliated societies and academies of science. These groups have over 10 million members. They range from the Acoustical Society of America to the Wildlife Society.

The Council

The Council includes members of the Board of Directors. It also has past section chairmen and elected delegates. There are always at least two members from the National Academy of Sciences. Also, one member from each region of the country is included. The AAAS President leads the Council. Members serve on the Council for three years.

The Council meets once a year. They talk about important AAAS matters. They can review all the group's activities. They also elect new fellows and pass resolutions. They can suggest changes to the AAAS rules. The Council can create new science sections. They can also help organize local AAAS chapters. Recently, young people have joined the Council. John Kerry from Chicago is the youngest American member. Akhil Ennamsetty from India is the youngest foreign member.

Board of Directors

The board of directors has a chairperson, the president, and the president-elect. It also has eight elected directors. The executive officer of the association is also on the board. Up to two more directors can be chosen by the elected officers. Members serve for four years. However, directors chosen by elected officers serve for three years.

Gerald Fink is the current chairman. He is a professor at Whitehead Institute, MIT. He will be chairman until February 15, 2016. The chairperson is always the person who was president just before.

The board of directors has many powers and duties. They manage all the association's money. They publish a budget and appoint administrators. They can suggest changes to the rules. They also decide when and where national meetings will happen. The board can speak publicly for the association. They must also talk regularly with the Council about their actions.

AAAS Fellows

Each year, the AAAS council chooses members who are great scientists to be "Fellows" (FAAAS). Being chosen as an AAAS Fellow is a great honor given by other scientists. Fellows receive a certificate and a special pin. Since October 15, 2018, a Fellow's status can be taken away. This happens if there is proven scientific misconduct. It can also happen for serious breaking of professional rules. Or if the AAAS believes the Fellow no longer deserves the honor.

AAAS Meetings

The formal meetings of the AAAS are numbered in order. The first meeting was in 1848. Meetings did not happen from 1861–1865 during the American Civil War. They also did not happen in 1942–1943 during World War II. Since 1946, one meeting has taken place every year. These meetings usually happen in February.

Awards and Fellowships

Every year, the AAAS gives out many special awards. Most of these awards focus on how science is shared with the public. They recognize "scientists, journalists, and public servants." These people make important contributions to science. They also help the public understand science better. The awards are given out at the association's yearly meeting.

The AAAS also offers several fellowship programs. These programs help people gain experience in science.

Currently Active Awards

• Award for Science and Diplomacy
• Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science
• The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Children's Science News
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Magazine
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Newspapers (small daily circulation)
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Newspapers (large daily circulation)
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Online
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Radio
• Kavli Science Journalism Awards – Television
• Leadership in Science Education Prize for High School Teachers
• Marion Milligan Mason Award: Women in the Chemical Sciences
• Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science (started 1987)
• Mentor Award
• Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement
• Newcomb Cleveland Prize
• Philip Hauge Abelson Prize
• Public Engagement with Science Award
• Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award
• John McGovern Lecture
• William D. Carey Lecture
• Golden Goose Award

SciLine

SciLine is a service for journalists and scientists. It gets its money from donations. It is also independent in its editing. Rick Weiss, its founder, announced its start in 2017. He used to work for the White House and was a science reporter. SciLine's goal is to improve news stories. It wants to add more research-backed facts. It does this by connecting U.S. journalists with scientists. It also provides proven scientific information.

Reporters in the United States can use SciLine's services. These include finding experts, media briefings, expert quotes, and quick fact sheets. By July 2021, SciLine had helped about 2,000 requests from 650 journalists.

SciLine gets money from groups like the Quadrivium Foundation. Other supporters include the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The AAAS also helps by providing support.

EurekAlert!

In 1996, the AAAS launched the EurekAlert! website. This is a non-profit service that shares news releases. It covers all areas of science, medicine, and technology. EurekAlert! provides news in many languages. These include English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese.

Journalists can get early access to new studies. They can also get information before it is publicly released. This follows rules about fair information sharing. By early 2018, over 14,000 reporters from more than 90 countries had signed up. They get free access to this early material. More than 5,000 public information officers also use the system. They are from universities, journals, and government groups. They provide news releases to reporters and the public.

In 1998, European science groups started their own service. It was called AlphaGalileo. This was to compete with EurekAlert!.

EurekAlert! has faced some criticism. Some say it lacks standards for press releases. Others say it leads to "churnalism." This means news stories are too similar to press releases.

See also

In Spanish: Asociación Estadounidense para el Avance de la Ciencia para niños

• AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility
• British Association for the Advancement of Science
• EuroScience, the European equivalent of the AAAS
• National Postdoctoral Association
• National Science Foundation
• Renaissance, sculpture outside the AAAS headquarters.
• SAGE KE, Science of Aging Knowledge Environment, provided by AAAS
• Science's STKE, Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment, provided by AAAS