There is a dichotomous nature to the relationship between the US Congress that sets public policy on science, research, and the funding that supports those endeavors and the scientists like you, who spend their days in the lab trying to make breakthroughs and improvements to basic and biomedical research.
However, as we have had to adjust all aspects of our lives over the past several months due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the very tangible need for research scientists in public policy positions.
Due to the nature of Congress, the limits on staffing mean each person must develop expertise in a wide array of policy areas. When the scale of the pandemic was realized, scientific and medical fellows were in demand to provide briefings, explain the processes being used to find treatments and vaccines, and to offer their extensive expertise to not only the member of Congress they were working for, but for others with significant outbreaks in their district and state. The need for scientific expertise this year has put a spotlight on the work being done by fellowships such as the BPS Congressional Fellowship and the demand continues to grow.
For biophysicists interested in public policy, the BPS Congressional Fellowship is an ideal opportunity to explore the innovation and breakthroughs you can bring to science and biophysics through the public policy arena. Applications for the 2021 – 2022 BPS Congressional Fellowship open on August 3, 2020.
The BPS Congressional Fellowship Program provides an invaluable and unique opportunity for BPS members to gain practical experience and insights into public policy by working on Capitol Hill. The fellowship program sponsors one fellow annually to serve as a staff member in a Senate, House of Representatives, or Committee office. BPS members who have an interest science policy should consider this program as an ideal way to spend an academic sabbatical or leave of absence from a company. Read more about the Congressional Fellowship: https://www.biophysics.org/policy-advocacy/congressional-fellowship.