January 2003 - Division of Medical Sciences Bulletin - Harvard ...

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The Harvard University BBS website: January Bulletin Although an increasing number of science policy issues are being dealt with in Congress, few politicians have any real training in the scientific arena. Thus, their offices often consult several advisory institutes before making any decision related to scientific issues. Christine Alfsen-Norodom, Director of the Columbia-Unesco Biosphere and Society Center, explained to me how her office advises national and international agencies on delicate issues related to policy on environment and biodiversity. One of her projects studies the behavior of particular "biodiversity reserves" located in such places around the globe as Cambodia and the New York metropolitan area. This study will provide clues to elaborate policies that facilitate how communities can live without destroying the natural resources they need for survival. For Dr. Liliana Botcheva-Andonova, a research fellow at Earth Institute at Columbia University (another policy advisory institute), the most exciting aspect of science policy is the freedom to interact with people from other disciplines. Dr. Botcheva-Andonova graduated with a Ph.D. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and joined the Earth Institute at Columbia to continue with her research on environmental policy-making. As a government Ph.D. working on scientific issues, she is always interested in learning from her colleagues with biology training the technological details that are necessary to define proper guidelines in environmental policy. The downside for her, though, comes from dealing with politics, and Liliana pointed out that in the world of politics you have to be careful about what you say, how you word it, and where you publish it in order to effect the changes you seek. For BBSers who might be interested in learning more about science policy-making, Dr. David M. Hart, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Harvard, suggests taking one of the classes the Kennedy School offers on this area. Indeed, he noted that every year several Ph.D. students from the biology field take his course on Science Technology and Public Policy. For a more "hands-on" experience, Dr. Hart mentioned that many government institutions and international agencies offer internship programs. In particular, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Science sponsor internships in Congress with salaries similar to those of a regular post-doc. There are also master programs on Science Technology at the Kennedy School, as well as at Columbia University. If you do choose to make a career in science policy, Dr. Hart concluded by saying that a Ph.D. in biology is an exceptional entrylevel credential. However, even if you pursue a more traditional file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/JJL21/Desktop/bulletin/2003/WebonlyJanuary2003/policy.html (2 of 3)11/13/2006 10:28:47 AM
The Harvard University BBS website: January Bulletin academic position, there is still room to be involved in policymaking, and some academic professors even do freelance advising work in this area. It is clear that there are people out there with a Ph.D. in biological sciences working on science policy, but they are few far between. Thus, as science policy-making remains in the hands of those with little scientific knowledge, everyone I interviewed agreed on the increasing demand for people with backgrounds in biology to enter the field. So, if you are interested in putting your Ph.D. to work in a non-traditional career, there is definitely a place for you in the world of science policy. [ back to top ] Copyright ©2003 - Harvard University. All rights reserved. Privacy policy file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/JJL21/Desktop/bulletin/2003/WebonlyJanuary2003/policy.html (3 of 3)11/13/2006 10:28:47 AM
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January 2003 - Division of Medical Sciences Bulletin - Harvard ...

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