California Council on Science and Technology (CCST)

Wonderful work from Haroula Baliaka and team at Caltech for the community of Altadena. Earlier this year, Haroula was selected as a 2025 CCST Science Translator, presenting her impactful air quality research with policy leaders at the California State Capitol. #scipol #scicomm

We are currently looking to fill the position of Chief at the Bureau of Household Goods & Services. This is a Governor appointed position. The Bureau is comprised of a group of skilled individuals, many coming from the industry itself, who conduct inspections, process licenses and enforce compliance with the law. As a member of the Department of Consumer Affairs Executive Management Team, the Chief will formulate, implement and interpret Bureau policies and procedures; advise the Director and Executive Staff on all matters relating to the Bureau's operations and set and perpetuate the goals and objectives of the Department's strategic plan through subordinate staff. Apply at: https://lnkd.in/gb8g4KEE

Congratulations to new Sandia National Laboratories Director Laura McGill!

A few days left to apply for this opportunity! Due March 10. #scipol #scicomm #sciencepolicy #scipoljobs #phdjobs

In the latest #podcast newsletter, we're focusing on #climatechange and human mobility. I moderated a panel hosted by California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) and I was joined by a prestigious panel focusing on human migration. Definitely check out the webinar now available on YouTube. https://lnkd.in/gWhta_fv #climatechange #migration Eric Chu

?? From tracking salmon migrations to detecting urban forests, AI is unlocking new ways to protect biodiversity. But challenges remain. How do we ensure AI benefits all? ?? Some key points from our discussion. ?? "Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool in addressing these challenges, offering new ways to monitor species, predict environmental changes, and enhance conservation strategies. Indeed, AI is already here. It's an essential part of biodiversity conservation now." —?Nathaniel Roth, Chief Scientific and Data Advisor, California Department of Conservation ?? “There’s so much information in the data we’ve collected that we just can’t currently harness.” – Sara Beery (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) on AI’s potential to unlock insights from massive biodiversity datasets. And on energy usage: "One thing that kind of gets lost in the nuance of these conversations is that not all AI is created equal when it comes to computational cost..." "Most of the AI we've been talking about today, with the exception of those large language models, are small AI." ?? "A lot of decisions that policymakers, or land managers, or most people in the conservation domain are trying to make, are really value driven decisions." ... "It ultimately rests on the community agreeing on what the goal is. AI is not going to decide that for us." – Melissa Chapman (ETH Zürich, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)) emphasizing the human role in conservation decisions. ?? "A related problem that also has a connection to biodiversity is planning where to do prescribed fire burns in order to minimize wildfire risk. And in that work, again, it's a planning problem with limited resources." —?Bistra Dilkina (USC Center for AI in Society) on how she uses AI for more effective decision making, planning, and resource allocation. ?? "Precision conservation, meaning, we want to know exactly what's happening at very precise location rather than making a prediction." Kumar Mainali (Chesapeake Conservancy) on a promising application of AI when paired with high resolution data sets. Watch: https://lnkd.in/guYUGhjd #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Biodiversity #Conservation #SciPol #SciencePolicy #SciComm #California #Environment #Technology #AITools #landmanagement #policy #precisionconservation #CCSTbriefing

Please join us on?Friday, March 7, from 9:00–10:30 AM?for a webinar on the?new Board of Governor's Climate Action and Sustainability Goals. College leaders and sustainability experts from across the state will share best practices for advancing climate initiatives on campus.?? ? We encourage you to attend and join the discussion on how these goals will shape the future of sustainability efforts across our colleges.?Registration is required in advance?and more information is below. Please share this with colleagues and encourage them to attend. Registration link: https://lnkd.in/gVSkCJcD Tom Epstein, Sonya Christian, Jonathan Eldridge, Ellen Morris, Tracy Marcial, Julianne McCall, DavidLiebman Liebman, California Council on Science and Technology (CCST)

?? Do you thrive on deadlines? Well, here's a great one coming up. ?? PhD scientists and engineers, check out this opportunity to become a CCST Science Fellow. Applications due March 10. Let me know if you have any questions about this amazing fellowship

Check out this important discussion on using #AI Tools for Addressing #Conservation and #Biodiversity.

Opportunity for UC and CSU representatives to contribute to California's Fifth Climate Change Assessment as part of the Editorial Board Leadership Team. The Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) is seeking nominations below.