Federation of American Scientists, collaborators debut 'Future Systems' Policy proposals to build upon Colorado's success. Aug 31, 2026, 09:03 ET Coloradans deliver new policy ideas to strengthen the workforce, leverage the economic benefits of emerging technology, and increase land, climate and energy resilience - with support from the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science DENVER, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - With the shape of federal policymaking uncertain, and as midterm elections fast approach, states have a golden opportunity to experiment with policy and provide testing grounds for worthy policy ideas. To meet this unique moment, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) teamed up with the Institute for Science & Policy (ISP) at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the Association of Scientific and Technological Centers (ASTC) to surface policy ideas for the Colorado Future Systems Policy Sprint. "With so much disruption and partisan gridlock at the federal level, states must step up to meet the challenges that concern the public with innovative policy solutions. As laboratories of democracy, states like Colorado can stress-test evidence-based policy solutions to address an aging labor market, climate change and shifting energy demands - challenges so many other states face as well," says Dr. Jedidah Isler, FAS Chief Science Officer. "Whoever wins Colorado's gubernatorial election should be equipped to provide for their public, and the proposals that emerged from the Colorado Future Systems Policy Sprint are a great place to start." From dozens of applications, FAS, ISP and ASTC chose the nine most promising for an intensive policy sprint, where contributors honed their ideas into action-ready policy memos, equipped with step-by-step instructions for implementation. The memos span issues central to Colorado's future: water scarcity, electric grid vulnerabilities, workforce development, energy capacity and more. All memos are tailored to Colorado's policy-creation process and are written by Coloradans. The Colorado Future Systems Policy Sprint is FAS's first state-level policy sprint. Policy sprints are key incubators for "policy entrepreneurship," FAS's method for equipping individuals with strong ideas with the technical assistance to develop policy. "Good decisions start with good processes," says Kristan Uhlenbrock, Executive Director of the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. "What made this sprint valuable was not only the ideas that surfaced but how they were produced: with evidence, community engagement and a non-partisan approach. These are ideas from Colorado leaders and based on the realities communities are living in across the state." "The strongest policy proposals are built with the people who live with the challenges those policies aim to solve," said Christofer Nelson, President and CEO of ASTC. "ASTC connects science and technology with the public, and by bringing that to FAS's rigor in policy entrepreneurship and ISP's deep Colorado relationships and policy experience, we helped shape proposals informed by stakeholders from communities they're meant to serve." About Federation of American Scientists The Federation of American Scientists works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology and innovation policy can deliver transformative impact, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945, FAS continues to bring scientific rigor and analysis to address national challenges. Learn more at fas.org. About Institute for Science & Policy Established in 2018, the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science elevates evidence-informed and data-driving thinking on societally relevant issues. The Institute is non-partisan with an overall objective to make science a second-nature consideration in public discourse and policymaking by providing resources and tools to facilitate productive conversations. Learn more at institute.dmns.org. About Association of Scientific and Technology Centers Founded in 1973, the Association of Science and Technology Centers is a network of more than 600 science and technology centers and museums, and allied organizations, engaging nearly 110 million people annually across North America and in more than 35 countries. With its members and partners, ASTC works toward a vision of increased understanding of and engagement with science and technology among all people to enhance lives and livelihoods, strengthen communities and sustain the planet. Learn more at astc.org. SOURCE Institute for Science & Policy

Call for participants: Center for Regulatory Ingenuity local advisory council. ICLEI USA, in partnership with the Federation of American Scientists (FAS)' Center for Regulatory Ingenuity (CRI), is seeking local and regional elected officials and government staff to serve on a national advisory council supporting policy development and implementation. Outdated regulations, overly complicated processes, and underresourcing have hobbled governments' ability to tackle big challenges like climate change and to deliver on basic, everyday needs. It's not a failure of will - but of a regulatory regime that desperately needs a refresh. CRI is focused on reimagining the administrative state by combining ingenuity in both policy design and implementation. The Center's goal is to seed these new ideas with a cross-sector, transpartisan network of policymakers and advocates. This new advisory council will leverage the experience and perspectives of local and regional actors, providing practitioner feedback on policy development and implementation strategies and ensuring that CRI recommendations reflect the on-the-ground reality in communities. The council will focus broadly on issues related to climate, but specifically in the areas of: * Clean energy and electricity affordability * Housing supply and affordability * Transportation and mobility What Participants Will Do Council participants will: * Participate in four 90-minute virtual advisory meetings over the next nine months * Review and provide feedback on draft policy materials and white papers * Share implementation barriers and opportunities from their jurisdiction or professional experience * Brainstorm topics for future white papers and playbooks focused on policy and governance solutions from a local government perspective * Amplify publications and other materials from CRI in local and regional networks as relevant * Expand and connect networks of practitioners working on the policy priorities and solutions covered by the council Estimated time commitment: Approximately 5-7 hours per quarter for the remainder of the year. Who should apply. Iclei USA is seeking: * Local elected officials (mayors, councilmembers, commissioners, etc.) * Local government staff * Regional agency staff (MPOs, COGs, regional authorities) * Tribal government representatives Applicants must have experience in energy, housing, and/or transportation policy or implementation. You do not need to have expertise in all three to participate. A meaningful working knowledge of at least one or two areas is preferred. ICLEI USA aims to assemble a diverse advisory council that represents a range of geographies, jurisdictional sizes, and perspectives. Compensation. Participants may receive compensation in the form of:* * A personal stipend * A donation to a nonprofit * A payment to a government agency *subject to eligibility and organizational policies. How to apply. Complete the brief application form: Applications are due by Friday, May 8, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET and will be reviewed following the application period. For questions, contact: Alyssa Wilbur [email protected] 04/24/2026 04/22/2026 04/17/2026 04/13/2026