By Joshua Stuckey
Many scientists are motivated by high impact research, addressing questions that ultimately help to advance medicine and technology and improve quality of life. Forging these changes in society often takes years to decades, but some research and decisions drive change much faster. During the iJOBS and Eagleton Career Panel for Science Policy, we heard from scientists whose research and decisions impact us daily.
The career panel focused on recent Eagleton Science and Policy Fellows and their experiences transitioning from the bench to science policy. Dr. Emily Boltcreed, a policy analyst for the New Jersey Senate Democratic Office, discussed how she utilizes the professional skills she developed during her PhD in neuroscience, including identifying knowledge gaps, systematically reviewing literature, and synthesizing information. She also realized her natural strengths as a writer and love for science education were an asset during the Eagleton fellowship. She now facilitates the transition of bills to law by first researching and conceptualizing policies and then communicating them to senators and stakeholders.
Dr. Angelica Barreto Galvez is currently a program management officer for the New Jersey Department of Health. Following a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from the Molecular Biosciences program at Rutgers, she sought opportunities with an immediate impact, something her bench work could not offer. Her fellowship with Eagleton placed her with the NJ Department of Health where she examined the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic groups in New Jersey. During her time as a fellow, she developed and implemented effective mitigation strategies.
Dr. Iram Mansoor detailed her experience transitioning into the role of Scientific Advisor for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ Clean Energy Division. Pursuing a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at Rutgers left little room to explore her interests in civic engagement. After earning her degree and joining the Eagleton fellowship, she recognized that her critical thinking and credibility are valuable skills in the political setting. As a Scientific Advisor, she designs programs to upgrade and decarbonize housing stock to drive energy efficiency programs.
Lastly, Dr. Justin Wang discussed how he became a Data Translation Specialist for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families. Dr. Wang pursued a PhD in Molecular Biology to improve lives, but he realized that research in basic sciences is lengthy and the impact is delayed. He described how he considered science policy after leading student governing bodies during his PhD. Following his degree, he continued similar work on the Board of Higher Education and Workforce as a Cristine Mirzayan Science Policy fellow—a 3 month fellowship at the federal level. Searching for other opportunities in policy, he applied for the Eagleton Fellowship where he now works at the state level to expand services for familial health and child welfare.
Through their personal experiences, we learned how each fellow’s passion for advocacy and community engagement shaped their path to science policy. This reflects an underlying goal of science policy advocates: creating impact in areas that align with your values.
What is the Eagleton Science and Politics Program?
The Eagleton Science and Policy Program is dedicated to training PhD level scientists to inform policy decisions in New Jersey. Fellows are not required to have a background in science policy; instead they receive intensive, hands-on training to tailor their research for communication with policymakers and stakeholders.
The fellowship offers three tracks: Legislative, Executive, or Climate Action. The legislative track places fellows in one of New Jersey’s three partisan offices, the Democratic, or Republican staff in the State Senate or State Assembly. Dr. Boltcreed works in the Democratic office.
The Executive track places fellows at various agencies throughout the state based on their research interests and needs of the department. The departments of Health, Human Services, Education, and Environmental Protection are some of the potential agencies for placement.
The Climate action track works with the Board of Public Utilities and the Division of Clean Energy. Like Dr. Mansoor, fellows in this track are placed on projects focused on climate-related issues in New Jersey, such as clean energy, energy storage, resiliency, or sustainability.
Shannon Erwin, the program coordinator, encouraged potential candidates to contact her directly. The priority deadline for the Eagleton Fellowship application is March 15th, but applications will be accepted until May 17th.
How to get involved in science policy?
Each fellow offered advice for graduate students and post-docs interested science policy. Here are some of the highlights from the discussion:
- Write as often and as much as you can.
- A career in science policy requires strong writing skills to correspond with constituents and policymakers. All Eagleton fellows discussed the importance of this in handling the frequency and capacity of their reports.
- Learn to present data to diverse audiences.
- Dr. Barreto Galvez emphasized the need to convey the significance of data in more than just figures for policymakers who do not have a scientific background.
- Learn how to market yourself.
- Dr. Mansoor discussed how being able to recognize and fill the gaps in projects without being told earned her respect because she showed reliability and professionalism.
- Establish your values and get involved.
- An important part of getting into science policy is knowing where you want to make an impact. To figure this out, start by researching areas of government that interest you, or volunteering in communities that you are already engaged in.
Be the change you wish to see in the world
For me, the most inspiring part of the Eagleton Science Policy Career panel was how accessible the path from bench science to public policy seems. Eagleton fellows did not abandon their scientific identities but expanded them, applying their analytical thinking, communication skills, and curiosity to serve their communities directly. Their experiences showed that science policy is not a distant or abstract career reserved for a select few, but a tangible and achievable avenue for scientists who want their work to directly shape the world around them. At a time when evidence-based decision-making is more important than ever, programs like Eagleton empower scientists to step beyond the lab and ensure that scientific knowledge informs the policies that affect our daily lives.
This article was edited by Senior Editor Janaina Cruz and Senior Editor Antonia Kaz.