In the past, there has been a tendency to view scientific research (from fundamental to applied), education (undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral), and engagement (outreach including industrial and philanthropic interactions, K-12 and informal education, and policy / public affairs) as separate activities, practiced one-at-a-time and lodged in different organizational and administrative units. Yet as citizen-scientists, we know these activities are closely interwoven; we want our lives to be less fragmented, and our contributions to making the world a better place maximized.

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We believe there is now an excellent opportunity to place ICAM in a position of global leadership in science, education, and engagement by:

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• Continuing ICAM’s leadership role in informal science education by updating and expanding its online science centers EmergentUniverse.org, and Music of the Quantum and its online interview site, Great Explanations.

• Making readily available the existing “best practices” at its partner institutions through descriptions and links to these at ICAM Branch SEE Activities and Innovative Courses and Web sites

• A program of SEE grants to encourage scientists at ICAM branches to develop new materials for informal science education

• Nurturing global collaborations on SEE programs by working with ICAM branches and other leading institutions in the US and abroad

• Continuing to work with Shawn Carlson and LabRats.org on developing a learning center for middle school students, http://iLearnScience.org 

• Using its convening power to coalesce the community of engaged scientists and enhance their number and effectiveness through workshops on initiatives in science education and unifying SEE concepts, and by supporting regional summits on SEE initiatives.