TLDR: Sign-up for Stance on Science to see where midterm candidates stand on science policy issues and get involved through our upcoming SciPol Hackathon or SciPol course.

AAAS 2026

5 SNAP members (Miles Arnett, Isako Di Tomassi, JP Flores, Erin Morrow, and Alex Rich) are speaking in a plenary panel discussing the work SNAP has done and is continuing to do. Several members are also presenting their work in the E-poster session, and SNAP is hosting a booth where you can meet members in person to get connected with our initiatives. Stay tuned for a full list of the events we’ll be participating in!

Stance on Science

SNAP will be asking science policy-related questions of candidates running in local, state, and national races during the 2026 elections. We’ll share their responses on our website so voters can better understand where candidates stand on science issues. Interested in helping in your state? Fill out this sign-up form, and we will be in touch with more information. Stay tuned for more details as 2026 approaches!

SciPol Hackathon

SNAP is organizing our inaugural national Science Policy Hackathon event to take place during the Spring 2026 semester! Small groups from science policy groups across the nation will tackle policy issues related to science and society, STEM professional formation, and bolstering the STEM workforce. Completed policy solutions will be showcased by SNAP. Don’t have a science policy group yet, but are interested in forming one? We have a new primer for getting started here. Email us for more info!

SciPol Course

SNAP is developing a modular science policy curriculum covering topics such as: What is Science Policy?, How Government Works, Science Communication, and more. These resources can be used to educate students at our home institutions and encourage the creation of new university science policy groups. More intensive course development is underway now, email us if you’re interested in getting involved or if you want to make sure we send you the course materials once they’re finalized!

McClintock Letters

This initiative is a nationwide science communication project in which hundreds of scientists wrote to their local hometown papers to convey the value of federally funded research to a diverse audience. So far, we have had over 200 pieces published across at least 44 states! We are now examining the impact of this initiative. Did you write a letter? Thanks to a new partnership between The McClintock Letters and Scitech Forefront (a science policy publication hosted on Medium), you can now (re)publish your letters on the Forefront platform to increase their visibility, accessibility, and impact. We understand the publication process was difficult for many, so here’s a chance to get your letter out there if you haven’t already, or to publish it again! Email us for more information.

SNAP Visits

SNAP’s Congressional District Visits have wrapped up: early-career scientists across 29 states met with over 55 Congressional offices, sharing stories about their science and the value of research! We are inspired by each scientist who dedicated time to learn, prepare, and engage with lawmakers to support public science funding. By shifting advocacy from DC-based fly-ins to hometown offices, District Visits lower barriers to participation, build local connections, and emphasize that science is not an abstract enterprise but a vital part of every congressional district. We are evaluating the impact of these visits, so stay tuned for a report on initiative impact in a future newsletter! Looking to meet with your local office about supporting science? Email us for support!

External Opportunities

✨SNAPper Highlights and Achievements ✨

Check out these recent works by SNAP members and works mentioning SNAP members or initiatives!