Becoming Citizen Scientists: A Trip to Explore Science Policy and Technology
This article was originally published in the 2022 – 2023 Annual Report
By Mandy Truelock
In October 2022, a group of Vanderbilt PhD graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (all pictured below) had the unique experience to travel to DC to dive headfirst into two intensive days of science policy immersion.
With such a wide range of career options available to PhD students, exploring the career landscape of opportunities is essential to understanding one’s interest and potential job fit. The trip – sponsored by the Vanderbilt University Office of Federal Relations, BRET, and the Graduate School – allowed trainees to immerse themselves in the field while hearing firsthand about what a career in this field entails. The first day of the workshop kicked off with an introduction to science policy and technology by Toby Smith, Vice President for Science Policy & Global Affairs, Association of American Universities. The presentation by Dr. Smith highlighted the history of science policy and technology and provided a solid foundation for the rest of the workshop. Sheila Murphy, Vice President of Advocacy Programs and Initiatives, Research!America, joined after lunch to explain the federal budget process and federal R&D budgets. This enlightening session provided the group of early career scientists insight into the ins and outs of how grant funding is determined. This led to a role-playing case study, “Mock FY 2023 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Conference Committee” which allowed attendees to see the real struggles of an appropriations committee. The case study was a success, and most practice groups were able to prevent a government shut down! Ben Gold, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering, said, “It was a great opportunity to learn a lot about the policymaking and budgeting processes, and to meet Vanderbilt alumni doing science policy work in DC. I enjoyed hearing about different career paths and perspectives on science policy, connecting with others interested in the field, and learning about how and when policy decisions are made.”
From jobs on Capitol Hill to a role as the interim Director of the NIH, the group learned about a wide range of careers in science policy, including those that branch into industry. “I most appreciated the low-risk, high-reward opportunity to learn more about the different facets of science policy within and outside of Washington, D.C,” remarked Jennifer Shuman, a 5th year PhD student in the Microbe-Host Interactions program. “We heard from dozens of professionals with a wide range of job titles and career goals. The networking opportunities were plentiful and fruitful. I couldn’t recommend the trip enough for anyone interested in science policy or adjacent career paths.”
The second day consisted of several panels focused on the variety of science policy fellowships, such as the AAAS Fellowship and science policy careers within the executive branch. A reoccurring theme among the speakers was encouragement to consider careers that used science policy and advocacy to amplify the message of science and the importance of research. Shalonda Ingram, PhD, a Pharmacology postdoctoral fellow noted, “Before the trip, I understood that I had experiences that would allow me to benefit from this trip and learn if policy would be an ideal career change in the future. While on this trip, I learned about the various careers I could engage in that involve policy that would also allow me to use my scientific experiences. I met many people interested in helping me identify particular jobs and advance toward a career in policy.” Beyond providing an excellent exploration of science policy careers, this trip was unique because it highlighted the importance of the role of citizen scientists. Even if an attendee left the workshop not wanting to pursue a career in science policy, they did leave with an understanding of what we can do as PhD scientists to influence policy in a positive way, and how science policy affects the everyday researcher.