Pallavi Phartiyal, Senior Analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, shares her thoughts on science-based careers in public policy and how scientific research and the sharing of information supports our democratic system.
QUOTES FROM PALLAVI
“There is a debate within the scientific community – it’s not a new debate, it’s happened over the course of centuries – which is, how should scientists engage or not engage in public policy and advocacy? And does that do something to the credibility they hold if they step out of their lab?”
“Public policy and advocacy doesn’t have the luxury of the academic time frame. You have to be much more cognizant of everything that is playing out politically around you.”
“What is the role of informed citizenry in making our system of governance a strong one? And how do we provide data to strengthen that relationship between the public and the people who govern them?”
“Most of our founding fathers were citizen scientists. In fact, a lot of laws that they wrote were derived by thinking about Newtonian laws, for instance, the system of checks and balances.”
“Science policy is a career which is not very well defined. A lot of opportunities that exist, you have to seek them out. There is no set way to get there.”
LINKS & RESOURCES
Questions? Share your thoughts!