How ESA Members can use the new Hot Topics facility.

1. Use Hot Topics in public debate

You don't have to be the author of a hot topic to use it in public debate. If you hear a politician or other public figure spouting misleading information that is covered by a hot topic, send them the link or a pdf which you can download from the ESA website. If you have read a blog or on-line article, add a comment with the link to the relevant Hot Topic. You can also use the Hot Topic as the basis of letters to the editor, media interviews and social media posts.

2. Add your research to an existing Hot Topic

If you have published a paper that is relevant to an existing Hot Topic, you can upload your evidence. Alert the author of the Hot Topic, particularly if your new evidence warrants a change in the 300 word summary.

3. Add research by others

You can add research that you have read to an existing Hot Topic.  Why would you do that?  To support the ESA initiative, to make a good thing better, and to become a co-author!

4. Write a Hot Topic.

If you have completed a review, or are familiar with a field, you can put together a hot topic in a few hours based on your existing knowledge and reference to the peer-reviewed literature.  If you are passionate about a new topic, you can review the peer-reviewed literature to write your topic.  Consider roping in colleagues or the experts in the field.  Hot Topics can be based on as few as three peer-reviewed papers, provided the summary that emerges is likely to represent the broader literature.  Hot Topics are reviewed by the editorial board, and (coming soon) will be eligible for a DOI, making them citable peer-reviewed publications.

So stop sitting back and complaining that public debate lacks evidence, lacks science and lacks ecology.  ESA Hot topics is an opportunity to do something about it.  Inject that evidence into public debate at every opportunity by promoting existing Hot Topics, making existing Hot Topics better, and by writing new Hot Topics.