Membership is offered to those residents of the state who are elected to the National Academies (IOM, NAE, NAS) and to those elected directly to the WSAS. The slate of candidates presented on this ballot has been selected from an open nominations process by the current WSAS membership by section membership committees followed by an academy-wide membership committee. The slate was subsequently approved by the Board of Directors.
Collectively, WSAS member expertise can contribute to scientific and technical analysis of major issues that Washington State may face, for example: the Puget Sound and other critical ecosystems, impacts of climate change including ocean acidification, sustainable natural resource management (e.g., forests, fisheries, wildlife, soils, minerals, and water), transportation, health and wellness, food security and safety, energy, and STEM education.
The WSAS members are grouped into the five Sections shown below. Once elected, each member may designate a primary discipline in their section, and also a secondary discipline that may be in another section.
Section 1. Physical and Mathematical Sciences
This section encompasses all fundamental physical and mathematical sciences: astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology; atmospheric and ocean science; chemistry; geoscience; materials science; pure and applied mathematics; physics; statistics.
Section 2. Engineering and Technology
This section encompasses all branches of engineering and technology, including: advanced manufacturing; aerospace; biological engineering and technology; chemical; civil and environmental; computer information and science; electrical; energy; industrial and systems engineering; materials; mechanical; nanotechnology; nuclear.
Section 3. Biological Sciences
This section encompasses basic and applied biological sciences from molecular to populations to ecosystems perspectives: agriculture; animal; aquatic and marine sciences; biochemistry; ecology; environmental sciences; evolutionary biology; genomics; microbial; plant; soil.
Section 4. Health Sciences
This section encompasses the full spectrum of health care, including: basic and clinical biomedical research; dentistry; health services and economics; healthcare education; medicine; mental health; nursing; nutritional sciences; pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences; public health; veterinary medicine.
Section 5. Social and Behavioral Sciences
This section encompasses basic and applied scientific studies in: anthropology; criminal justice; demography; economics; education; management science; political science; psychological and cognitive science; social work; sociology.