A 2005 Research!America survey showed that 82% of Americans don’t personally know a scientist. The National Academies (NAS, NAE, and IOM) want to change that. “Ambassadors for America’s Energy Future,” now in the planning phase, will identify and support scientists and engineers who want to conduct outreach work in their local communities, beginning with the topic of energy. Target audiences will not only get to know local scientists (and vice versa), they will also learn more about the energy situation—locally, nationally, and globally. Eventually the program will expand to include other topics, such as infectious disease and climate change.