Diversifying Academia and Beyond: Exploring Careers in Science Policy

This winter, BioAIMS officers Anjali Shastri and Cecilia Sedano, in collaboration with the Genetics Diversity Office, organized a Career Development Trip to Washington, DC: “Diversifying Academia and Beyond,” the first of its kind at the Stanford School of Medicine. Six Biosciences PhD students (myself included) traveled to Washington, DC to meet with scientists working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), State Department, and Congressional Offices.

Anjali Shastri shares insights from our trip to Washington, DC:

Anjali Shastri is a third-year Immunology PhD student.

In a nutshell, it was amazing! We had the chance to visit a host of agencies, as well as government offices across Washington, DC. We met a diverse group of people, from a variety of science backgrounds, all of whom are making distinct contributions to science and society.

One of the most significant things we discovered was the plethora of ways in which science-related issues are being addressed and supported in our government, and how that goes about happening. There is of course the direct funding for our PIs’ grants, from agencies like the NSF and NIH, but these agencies do much more, including actively devising and implementing programs aimed at promoting science education at all levels, from elementary school through grad school, as well as supporting innovation in science, such as through the NSF’s ‘Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships,’ which supports students, postdocs, and PIs who have novel ideas and want to collaborate with industry to implement them. The AAAS, which focuses largely on putting out science publications (like Science), also participates in revamping the science curriculums in schools, studies the interface between science, technology and human rights, and helps institutions promote ‘research competitiveness.’ The State Department is using science for Diplomacy, working on initiatives to promote the education of women in the US and internationally in STEM fields like the Biosciences. And ultimately it is Congress that holds the purse-strings, and so determines how much of this can actually get done.  

There are many more programs and initiatives like the ones I described, and many ways that Bioscience PhDs can contribute, both from within academia, as grad students, postdocs, and PIs, as well as through pursuing careers at these institutions. I think I can speak for everyone who went on the trip in saying that it was an eye-opening experience, and we are really looking forward to sharing all that we’ve learned with BioAIMS, SBSA, and the Biosciences community.

The six of us who traveled to Washington, DC will participate in a panel discussion to share what we have learned from our experience in DC. If you'd like to know more about careers in science policy for PhDs, you won't want to miss this!

WHEN: Thursday, June 23rd at 5:30PM


WHERE: Alway M-114


WHAT: Pizza and a Panel Discussion


WHY: A unique opportunity to learn about career paths for science PhDs and how to pursue them... and free food!!

RSVP here.

“Diversifying Academia and Beyond” received generous funding from the Genetics Diversity Office and the Stanford School of Medicine.