ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The geosciences play an important role in public policymaking in many areas, including the environment, natural hazards, and resources. For the third year, Geotimes and AGI's Government Affairs Program have put together a special issue to provide a sample of the many interactions between these fields.

The Comment at the front of this issue comes from a true citizen-scientist, Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.), formerly a college physics professor and now the Vice Chair of the House Science Committee. In his current role, but drawing on his former one, Ehlers has been asked by House leadership to address science policy and the future of science education. His Comment focuses on the challenges raised by these issues for the scientific community and the nation as a whole.

We are also fortunate to have an article from Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N. Mex.) on his efforts to preserve a unique volcanic feature -- the Valles Caldera in northwestern New Mexico -- as part of our National Forest System. Studied by geologists since 1913, Valles Caldera was critical to the recognition of resurgent domes. Sen. Bingaman's article is accompanied by a sidebar on the caldera's geologic history by Rick Aster and Philip Kyle, both from New Mexico Institute of Technology.

Art Zeizel, a geoscientist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reports on the role that earthquake hazards research has come to play in the high-level Common Agenda between the United States and Japan. In an issue devoted to the role of geoscience in policy, this article demonstrates its role in diplomacy.

Late last year, the President's Advisory Council on Science and Technology released a much-anticipated report on energy research and development for the next century. One of the architects of that report, well-known geoscientist Bill Fisher of the University of Texas at Austin, provides a synopsis of the report's findings, particularly as they pertain to the role of fossil energy research.

One of the challenges to improving the use of geoscience in decision-making is the lack of a mechanism for disseminating that knowledge and at the same time making scientists aware of what is useful to decisionmakers and other stakeholders. Paul Dresler and Mark Schaefer at the Department of the Interior report on their efforts to develop such a mechanism -- natural resource science councils that bring together scientists, stakeholders, and policymakers to address local issues.

Finally, this issue includes the last installment of a three-part series from Joe Briskey on lessons learned during his two-year stint as a Brookings/LEGIS fellow in the office of Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), a contributor to the first of these Geotimes special issues. In his article, Joe focuses on the importance of the constituent and of working with local media to make congressional offices aware of the contributions that geoscientists are making in their district or state.