Letícia Santos de Lima, selected for the AGU Voices for Science program 

Letícia Santos de Lima has recently joined ICTA-UAB as a Beatriu de Pinós postdoctoral fellow, and she is working in the Laboratory for the Analysis of Social-Ecological Systems in a Globalised world (LASEG). The AGU Voices for Science program was launched in 2018 to equip scientists with valuable communications and outreach skills, and an interest in sharing the value and impact of Earth and space science with key decision makers, journalists, and public audiences, to increase the widespread understanding of and support for science.  

As a member of the 2022 class, Letícia was selected from a highly competitive applicant pool based on demonstrated leadership and the potential to positively influence the local community. This is the first time that the call is open to applicants from Europe and the UK.

According to the AGU, Letícia's enthusiasm for developing and using communication and advocacy skills as part of the 2022 Voices for Science program shows a tremendous dedication to promoting science for the benefit of the scientific community and humanity at large, and AGU wants to commend her. 

Voices for Science provides its participants with many resources, including unique skills-building workshops and toolkits focused on communications and policy; hands-on support from AGU staff in conducting and organizing outreach opportunities; and expense-paid travel to Washington, D.C. for a hybrid April workshop and to Chicago, IL for the AGU Fall Meeting in December. 

Beyond the professional development opportunities in the program, Letícia will also network and collaborate with the 39 other scientists selected for the program, and the 145 members from past cohorts.  

The scientific enterprise depends heavily on federal support, and, as we are seeing now, the critical challenges of our time can only be solved if we let strong science inform our decisions. Now more than ever, it is essential for scientists to interact with policy makers, the public and the media on a regular basis. Lawmakers need to hear about critical issues both directly from scientists and from their constituents, and Letícia's efforts to reach out to legislators and galvanize the local community can and will make a difference.  

Collectively, the Voices for Science participants will help to amplify science and its worth and help both policymakers and the broader community see that the world continues to support and benefit from our scientific enterprise. With the help of their community of peers and AGU's resources, these participants will be able to successfully connect with these audiences even when not speaking with them in person.