Lots of things have changed since the last time I posted. I am currently in Washington DC at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) for the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy fellowship. I will have a follow-up post on this, but for now, this post will focus on my journey into science policy by going over a few tidbits on my past year doing science policy informational interviews.
I started on my informational interview journey by casually meeting American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellows after a panel at the biannual “What Can You Be with a PhD?” conference held at New York University (NYU). I exchanged business cards, and continued the rest of my day. A few weeks later, I decided to send a follow-up email requesting a chance to talk about their personal experiences and journey in an informational interview format. Crafting an email is key, as it will generally consist of who you are, where you have met, and why you are emailing. Fortunately, many science policy fellows are more than willing offer any advice, or perspectives!
After scheduling a 30-minute meeting, I prepared a set of questions. These questions usually addressed the role of scientists within the federal government. My questions ranged from asking what are the roles of scientists within the federal government outside of bench work to how do federal workers transition through departments or agencies, and their work/life balance. While I mostly interviewed science policy fellows, their roles ranged from program analysis, to organizing meetings and seminars, to preparing important briefings and memos, to senior level administration.
During the conversation, I would often be asked about my journey. For me, I would try to succinctly address my path during graduate school, namely what peaked my interest in science policy, and more importantly, situations that show leadership and organizational skills. I also ask questions pertaining to their specific office including pluses and minuses of the job, and genuinely show an interest in their experiences. Since I was and am interested in applying to the AAAS Science and Technology Policy fellowship, I would ask if they would have the time to look at my application essays, and more importantly, ask if they knew anyone else to speak with to learn more about opportunities in science policy. This last point was key because their network helped to expand my own! Following the interview, I always followed up with a warm thank you email, and continue to follow up every few months with career updates. These few tips and experiences have expanded my knowledge of careers in science policy, and I will be sure to keep you all updated during my journey!