WHO WE ARE
S2P was founded in 2018 by a group of graduate students who realized there was a critical need for sound science in public policy. Our leadership team includes faculty, science policy professionals, and communications experts. Our mission is to mobilize UC Riverside’s civic-minded scientists to address society’s most pressing challenges through proactive science advice, practical training, and direct participation in the policymaking process. We offer our flagship certificate course annually, place fellows in local offices, and host policy hack-a-thons and other professional development events.
CERTIFICATE COURSE
The Science to Policy Certificate Course is a 10-week intensive course designed to introduce STEM PhD Students to Public Policy.
Through this training, students will:
- Become outstanding communicators
- Learn how to translate science into policy
- Participate in science policy workshops, seminars, curricula and networking
- Meet with local, state, and federal policymakers on their turf
- Launch a career in science-driven policymaking
- Become a preferred candidate for science policy fellowships
The program and curriculum were developed by drawing insights from:
- Experienced scientists who have had major impacts on public policy
- Policymakers who value scientific input
- Scientists who have had local, state, or federal experience
FELLOWSHIPS
UCR Ph.D. students who have completed the S2P certificate course are placed in local policymakers’ offices, government agencies, NGOs, non-profits, or other organizations on timely issues that would benefit from scientific expertise. The types of projects, and the data and research methods employed, vary based on the host’s needs and the student’s interests and expertise. Please see recent fellowships listed here.
CONNECTION TO RESEARCH
Science to Policy is increasingly being written into major research grants in a variety of subjects including advanced transportation and stem cell research.
COMING UP & NEWS
Our seventh certificate course will be offered January-March 2025.
With the goal of establishing a national standard for science-to-policy education, S2P has been awarded an NSF Innovations in Graduate Education grant. The “Science to Policy: Operationalizing Knowledge from Education to Society” or SPOKES project will start on Oct. 1, 2024 and will be developed over 3 years, restructuring the current science policy certificate course and providing an educational framework that can be applied at other institutions interested in the integration of science policy.