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Science and Public Policy
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Program Officer
Scientific research requires funding. The funds come from a variety of
sources,
including the government, corporations, and private foundations — one of the many intersections of science and public policy.
Program officers at all of these
organizations manage the allocation of funds, which includes answering
questions from grant applicants and managing the grant application
review
process. Some program officers report that one of the favorite things
about
their job is that they still have access to the excitement of being on
the
cutting edge of research, even though they are no longer working at the
lab
bench.
Patent Attorney
Patent attorneys are an essential part of the process of transforming
new discoveries into products. Scientific findings are often followed by
requests for patent protection to ensure that the scientists are given
the
proper credit for making a discovery and have the right to profit from
that
discovery. Patent attorneys ensure that the patent filing process and
any
agreements made to develop or market the discovery are negotiated well
and
written accurately from a legal point of view. Patent attorneys often
are
excited by their work because they become knowledgeable about new
discoveries
and products.
Careers in Public Policy
Additional Resources
- AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships
- American Society for Microbiology Congressional Science Fellowship
- Hecht-Levi Fellowship Program in Bioethics
- National Academies Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Fellowship Program
- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholars
- Becoming a Patent Attorney
- "Have a science degree? Become a patent lawyer"
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law
Because scientific findings can be complex, it can be
difficult to decide the best way for society to use the information to
improve
our quality of life. Scientists who work at the intersection of research
and
public policy can help politicians and the general public understand
research
results in order to formulate thoughtful public policy. Scientists in
the
public policy field can work for congressional or other government
branches to
help translate and interpret scientific results. They can also work in
non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), non-profit think tanks, trade organizations, and
institutions such as the National Academies of Science. The work can be
incredibly rewarding; imagine
seeing your efforts influence policies in your country.
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