Hi all,

Has anyone heard back from the Mirzayan fellowship for interviews? Best of luck for those who applied! Thank you!

Hi all! Thinking about a career change next year and would love any advice about how to get into science policy, examples of companies where these jobs may be available, and experiences of those who work in these roles. I’ve got a PhD in physical sciences, and I currently work in drug discovery, but I think I want to move out of research and into policy. I’m aware I may need to do some additional courses etc to become more attractive to a prospective employer, but I would like to get a feel for how this sector is from those who work in it. Many thanks!

Looking for postdoctoral opportunities for an internship/fellowship in science policy (USA). Any thoughts?

Anybody know of any scipol fellowship opportunities in the UK? I found an amazing list for US ones, but no luck finding UK ones… 😢

Hi folks.

I am working on compiling a list of Science Policy books with compelling narratives. Some examples are Silent Spring by Rachel Carson or Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer by Steven Johnson.

Do y’all have any good book recommendations? I can re-share a list in this subreddit later. Thanks!

Hello! I am starting a new scientific position at the NIH soon, which means I will be in DC! I have always been interested in getting involved in science policy, but since I will have time and will be directly adjacent to policymakers, does anyone know of any resources/organizations in the DC area (paid or unpaid) to get involved with science policy while only having a Bachelor's?

Since the historic bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act was passed, community colleges’ role in the innovation economy has grown significantly. They have emerged as indispensable partners for businesses, research institutions, and government agencies, expanding access to good jobs across emerging and advanced technology industries promised by CHIPS that make up the future of work–ranging from artificial intelligence to biotechnology.

But Congress’s recent funding cuts to science agencies, including at the National Science Foundation (NSF), have jeopardized critical funding for community colleges and their ability to expand access to good-paying jobs catalyzed by CHIPS investments.

https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2024/03/29/congress_funding_cuts_will_hurt_community_college_students_and_stifle_innovation_1021781.html

Access to quality education and good jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) are still out of reach for many Black, Brown, Indigenous people, women, and other marginalized communities.

It’s no secret that America needs a serious game plan to ensure that our STEMM workforce reflects the demographics of the nation.

The AAAS-led STEMM Opportunity Alliance has put of a draft National Strategy for Equity and Excellence and seeks written or oral feedback by Nov 6:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shalinjyotishi/2023/10/10/your-chance-to-shape-americas-stemm-equity-strategy/?sh=12abaa96284b

I want to go into science policy, specifically in environment and sustainability. I am going to be graduating with an MS in ChE in June 2024. I want to get a job as a policy analyst or environmental consultant for a couple years then do a masters in public policy.

Is this a good plan for long term career advancement in this field? Or should I get a PhD?

Thank you!

Through the bipartisan passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, Congress made a historic and much-needed investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research, and development through catalyzing programs to support regional innovation at federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). 

On October 6, join the Center on Education and Labor at New America (CELNA) as it embarks on a new portfolio focused on the future of work.

Leaders from NSF, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Labor will participate in a policy dialogue with CELNA about workforce development issues in the emerging technology sectors, how the CHIPS and Science Act is unlocking new opportunities for technology-focused workforce development, and what additional policy investments are needed to realize the vision of an inclusive innovation economy.

https://www.newamerica.org/center-education-labor/events/building-an-inclusive-innovation-economy/

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-education/2023/01/09/how-community-colleges-fit-in-to-the-promise-of-the-chips-and-science-act-00076949

— “Industries that CHIPS is focused on … are going to require a number of middle-skilled jobs,” said Shalin Jyotishi, a senior analyst at New America. “These jobs require more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor's degree, and that's really where I think community colleges can play a much more proactive role in fulfilling the vision of CHIPS.”

— Community colleges, which have long had the missions to support workforce training, have the potential to become themissing link between aligning technology development and talent development, Jyotishi said. While four-year colleges typically produce the scientific workforce, two-year colleges are well-suited to respond to the need to produce technicians or the technologist workforce in emerging technology fields.

— The colleges will need support and funding to build capacity for training and expand experiential learning or work-based learning. “The investment conversation should be targeted on building capacity at community colleges to partner with four-years, industry and other organizations,” he said.

— Community colleges could also play a key role in supporting the K-12 STEM pipeline. The National Science Foundation, a key agency in the law, received a $1 billion boost in the last round of government funding to help with implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act. NSF could help community colleges through its grant program that focuses on experiential learning opportunities for adult learners and youth. With the dual-enrollment of high school students on the rise at two-year colleges, it could be a chance for community colleges to support this type of learning on their campuses for K-12 students. Youth apprenticeships will also be important.

— “An apprenticeship is the closest possible coupling between education and work,” Jyotishi said. “If we can connect CHIPS with community colleges and apprenticeship expansion, I think that's going to be a boon for emerging tech workforce development.

“But it's also going to be a political win for folks who want to get more support for CHIPS through appropriations,” he added. “Community colleges and apprenticeships are not right-wing or left-wing — they're the whole chicken … there would be an interesting legislative agenda behind those intersections.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shalinjyotishi/2022/12/13/new-nsf-funding-to-bolster-community-college-hbcu-capacity-for-the-innovation-economy/

Forbes: NSF to fund capacity building at community colleges, HBCUs for emerging tech workforce and entrepreneurship

The U.S. National Science Foundation has launched a new $20 million workforce program called Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC). The NSF EPIC program aims to help more community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions, and other emerging research institutions expand career opportunities in the innovation economy.

The NSF EPIIC program will help colleges build their partnership capacity for training leading to jobs in emerging technology fields including in AI, quantum computing, nanotechnology, and clean energy–all highlighted by Congress as national priorities in the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 passed by the Biden Administration earlier this year.

I’m curious about a career in science policy and I want to know what the career path looks like. From what I understand, you need a PhD + fellowship. I’m wondering what that PhD looks like? Like do you get a degree in a whatever science field you’re interested in and then pivot to policy work with the fellowship? Also, are there entry level jobs that don’t require a PhD that would be able to give you a sense of the field?

Thanks!

Are you interested in bridging the Science Policy divide when it comes to the challenges of biodiversity?

Today at 14.00 CET in the EU Parliament, the European Geosciences Union (EGU) & the European Parliament Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity & Sustainable Development are hosting a special event to discuss how to more effectively connect policymakers and scientists. You can sign up to join the event online or just learn more about it here: https://egu.eu/9IJ3GI/

Forbes story about the first-ever community college-level bachelor's degree program in biomanufacturing. 25/50 states now allow their community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees and that move may help colleges expand adult learner and youth pathways to the Future of Work in biotech and biomanufacturing

Biotech employers say that community college bachelor's degrees are unique in meeting their needs in ways associate degrees or university bachelor's degrees cannot.

Ties the program to recent moves by Biden including the biomanufacturing and biotechnology executive order, new workforce funding programs at the National Science Foundation, and comments from the White Hosue at a recent event

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shalinjyotishi/2022/11/10/biotechnology-industry-gets-a-boost-from-community-college-degrees/

Forbes article here: The Biden administration has launched a new workforce development funding program to help people, including those at community colleges, gain skills for emerging jobs in fields like AI, biotechnology, quantum science and new areas of advanced manufacturing and semiconductor.

Administered as a grant competition by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the federal agency that supports research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering, the Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program will provide $30 million to fund partnerships between workforce development entities and organizations with expertise in emerging technologies.

Could NSF’s new directorate help community colleges anticipate and expand equitable pathways to the Future of Work? “Yes, absolutely,” says TIP head Erwin Gianchandani

​

https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/community-colleges-national-science-foundation-technology-innovation-and-partneships-directorate-tip-future-of-work/

Hi all,

I finished working on a new manuscript that addresses an acute issue in science policy.
I think the manuscript fits for publication as Science's Policy Forum article, or Nature's Perspective article.

I am looking for more scientific journals that allow for publication of such an article type.
Could anyone please share more relevant journals?

Thanks!