Scientists, your local communities need you. It’s time to step up

Abstract

From tackling the COVID-19 pandemic to addressing climate change, the success of most policies depends on how they are implemented on the ground. This responsibility usually falls to local governments, municipalities and community-based organizations. They must respond to wildfires, heatwaves and disease outbreaks, for instance, and judge how to safely embed autonomous vehicles into traffic. But it’s hard for local bodies to access all the knowledge they need to make decisions. Scientists and engineers can help. And, in my experience, they often want to, but don’t always know how.