Martha McConnell ’97, a geology doctorate student and a former legislative fellow for a U.S. senator, urged students Tuesday to consider post-grad possibilities that diverge from more traditional courses of research.
McConnell’s research interests at the University of South Carolina include paleoclimatology and rapid climate change. She presented her lecture “From Foarams to Congressional Fellow: Climate Change and Public Policy” as part of the Geology Seminar Series.
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| Martha McConnell ’97 talks about her research and her work as a legislative fellow during a lecture at the Ho Science Center. (Photo by Andy Daddio) |
During her time working for U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J., McConnell identified a need for scientists to better communicate with Congress.
Only a small number of policymakers and staffers have science backgrounds and they do not spend their time perusing scientific journals. But, she said, they do pay attention to the media.
To create viable climate-change policy she said it is essential that scientists reach out to the general public and policymakers in an understandable way.
“In Washington information is power and scientists can provide that information,” said McConnell.
To have an impact scientists must not simply communicate research but also recognize issues with possible policy implications, she said.
McConnell achieved this by identifying an issue that hit close to home for New Jersey.
Ocean acidification is a major problem caused by greenhouse gas emissions. As carbon dioxide levels increase, the pH of salt water decreases and essentially becomes corrosive to marine organisms.
Ocean acidification has considerable repercussions for marine wildlife and therefore significant economic and ecological effects on coastal communities that depend on fishing industries.
As a legislative fellow, McConnell authored the Foaram Act of 2007, which Lautenberg co-sponsored. If passed, the bill will establish an interagency committee that will develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan.
There is no serious opposition to the bill because its focus is on research and monitoring. If the bill had included mandatory mitigating policy for greenhouse gases, McConnell said, it would have been hotly contested.
Ultimately, a systematic mitigation policy is what is needed to have a real effect on what she calls the climate-change crisis.
McConnell pointed out that state and local governments already are enacting climate-change policy. These smaller governments act as “policy laboratories,” allowing everyone to see what works and what doesn’t. She said that over time this might lead to successful climate-change policy on a federal level.