Our Past, Our Future: AMS Policy Research and Practice (Core Science Lecture)

The AMS was created in 1919 to promote the development of the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and to harness these advances for human benefit. For most of this 95-year history, the challenges have been scientific and technical. However, by the turn of the century it had become increasingly apparent that to realize needed societal benefits required more disciplined attention to the governing policy arena. The AMS Symposium on Societal Applications: Policy Research and Practice grew out of this recognition.

This 10th Symposium is an appropriate occasion to reflect on where we've been as a professional society and as a special interest group on societal applications. Given our 21st century context of rapid scientific and technical advance and breathtaking societal change, it's even more imperative that we look ahead. What will the world of the future need from the Earth observations, science, and services community over the coming decade? How do those needs translate into challenges for policy at national, international, and local levels? And how can we build the capacity of the science policy community to meet those needs? These and other issues will be identified and addressed.