Welcome to the summer issue of The Science Leader, the new digital newsletter of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents.

I would like to address you today about a second welcome to networking: The Council of Scientific Society Past Presidents (CSSP2.)

Your membership in CSSP was a fleeting moment in your professional career. As the president of your professional society, you were busy planning annual meetings, publishing a technical journal, retaining and recruiting members, balancing the budget and perhaps wringing out some funds for enhancements of membership services. The two annual meetings of CSSP in Washington D.C., were yet additional experiences, with rapidfire, dense sessions on how to manage a scientific society, what is new in science policy, how to help with critical issues such as funding for research and K-16 science education, and even a session on frontiers of science. Soon it was over, and you had time to return to your scholarly and professional pursuits and catch up on deferred obligations.

But the need for your leadership is great, and you have the potential to amplify your influence by joining with other able, experienced past presidents to help set the national agenda for science. It is important for you as a past president to remain engaged with CSSP, and to bring coherence to CSSP2. Leadership for science policy is more urgently needed today than ever before. If you doubt it, become a formal leader of CSSP2 by paying $50 per annum and attend the semi-annual meetings in Washington D.C. At these meetings you can learn what is happening at our Capitol and join the discussions that shape the position papers that will influence tomorrow's legislation on science, energy and environmental policy. 

One of the many unique features of CSSP and CSSP2 is that they bring together professionals of science education, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary scientific endeavors to address the pressing problems of water supply, clean air and water, energy, health and sustainable economics, to name a few. And, lest we forget, science is fun, and we enjoy sharing the excitement of science with others. Carpe diem! Seize the day!


Dr. Gaylen Bradley
Alumni Liaison to the CSSP Executive Board