Alan Leshner

Broader Impacts Champion

American Association for the Advancement of Science

In his former role as CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of Science, Dr. Alan I. Leshner demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that research benefits society and continually worked to strengthen connections between science and society. Alan sought to position AAAS at the intersection of science and society, ensuring that advances in science and technology benefit all people. He called for all members of AAAS – and for the scientific community more broadly – to engage with their communities via schools and public media, in the halls of government, and beyond. In advocating for bidirectional communication – listening to the public and responding to their concerns – and encouraging scientists and engineers to find ways to make their work relevant at both global and local levels, Alan illuminated a path toward evolving the compact between science and society so that it would better reflect society’s needs and values.

Alan has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that research benefits society, has aligned his work with the goals of NSF’s broader impacts criterion, and advanced and sustained awareness about the societal impacts of research and the importance of translating discoveries.