2015 TIBBS Science Policy Series

TIBBS and Science Policy Advocacy Group (SPAG) are partnering to present a training series for Science Policy. Speakers’ experiences span the breadth of the field of Science Policy, and their talks will be accompanied by workshops and exercises intended to ensure that students who participate become familiar with the skills and resources that they will need to seek careers in the broad spectrum of Science Policy. Eligible participants can earn TIBBS Science Policy Certificates, and will also have the opportunity to gain distinction with a selection of awards, including the opportunity to to win travel awards so that they can try their new skills in a real-world setting.

Seminars topics will inlcude: Policy 101; Informal Science Communication; Science for Policy: Communicating Science to Policymakers; Policy for Science: Leveraging STEM Investments for Maximum Impact; Technology Transfer; Advocacy: Making the Case for Science; and The Science of Science Policy: SciSP.

Workshops topics will include: How to get a job: Professional opportunities & fellowships in Science Policy; Blogging Like a Pro; Making the Connection: Writing the White Paper; and Mastering your elevator pitch.

Specific events are listed in the full schedule. The series will run most Monday afternoons from 3-5p from September 28th through November 16th, with additional 1-hour workshops available in addition, usually offered around lunchtime. We hope you can join us!Thank you to SPAG for co-sponsoring this series, and to SBC, WinS, and SWAC for cosponsoring Science Policy Series events with SPAG! Register for one or more events of your choice at: http://tinyurl.com/ng7wtas.

TIBBS Science Policy Series Schedule of Events:

1. Policy 101

Monday, September 28

Cosponsor: WinS

Salaeha Shariff: Project Director for Outreach and Recruitment and Alumni Engagement at the AAAS S&T Policy FellowshipWhat is Science Policy? What are careers in Science Policy? What skills map to various Science Policy career tracks?

Workshop #1: How to get a job: Professional opportunities & fellowships in Science Policy (Sep 30) Identifying and applying to opportunities in Science Policy

2. Shaping the national science agenda

Tuesday, October 6

Jonathan Hollander: Program Director, Genes, Environment and Health Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Program Officer at NIEHS (TBA)

3. Science for Policy: Communicating Science to Policymakers

Monday, October 12

Cosponsors: SWAC

Melissa Kenney

How do researchers produce science that informs policy? Scientific knowledge is only one factor for policymakers to consider, so it is critical that scientists understand how to make the case for science, especially when it touches on controversial subject matter, such as climate change.

Workshop #2: Making the Connection: Writing the White Paper (Oct 12)

How to write a report or white paper to be used by policymakers.

Written Exercise: White Paper

4. Policy for Science: Leveraging STEM Investments for Maximum Impact

Monday, October 19

Cosponsor: SBC

Peter Kant

Engaging stakeholders, establishing and managing partnerships between academia, industry, and government, and identifying opportunities for progress are key to ensuring that science has a positive impact on society.

5. Technology Transfer

Monday, October 26

Cosponsor: SBC

Mark Crowell

How does government spending on science drive GDP growth? The economy of science depends on scientific discoveries being leveraged into companies, products, and other marketable entities. How do discoveries made by scientists find their way into homes and industries?

6. Advocacy: Making the Case for Science

Tuesday, November 3

Benn Tannenbaum

The ability to communicate (in person) with policymakers is key to advancing the role of science in policy. Science advocates must know how to craft and present a focused message.

Workshop #3: Mastering your elevator pitch (Nov 3)

7. The Science of Science Policy: SciSP

Monday, November 9

Maryann Feldmann

The Science of Science Policy (SciSP) is designed to unravel the connection between public investment in science and benefit to the public from scientific discoveries.

8. Informal Science Communication

Monday, November 16

Carrie Wolenitz

Science must be communicated effectively across the boundaries of various disciplines and to the public –informal writing can be a powerful tool to generate interest and to communicate ideas.

Workshop #4: Blogging Like a Pro (Nov 16)

Written Exercise: Blog Post Composition

In addition to the TIBBS Science Policy Series Certificate and Advanced Certificate options, competitive peer-reviewed awards including Travel Awards and Book Awards will be available to participants. To be considered for these awards, a trainee must meet all the requirements for the Advanced Certificate, complete both written exercises, and participate in peer review for those exercises. Using the results of peer review, the individuals with the top two scores will receive a $600 Travel Award for the purpose of attending an advocacy event or other policy related activity of the trainee’s choice (e.g. NSPG Capitol Hill Day or the AAAS Forum on Science & Technology Policy). The next three highest scores will receive Book Awards, receiving a specialty book on science policy to accompany the award.

Check out the SPS Flyer

TIBBS: Jumpstart your science career