Alternate Careers for Physicists: Science Policy and Government Relations

While science is an investigation of the world around us, scientists and the practice of scientific research exist within the world in combination with aspects of society. This means that scientists and scientific research are subject to federal policies and regulations that affect how science is done. Who decides or influences those policies? Who speaks up on our behalf? Who investigates policy issues from a scientific point of view? As scientists, we can lend our expertise and insight in order to ensure a fruitful future for science, whether it be an occasional policy action taken or a career in science policy and government relations. In this talk I’ll share the story of my transition from academia to a policy- and advocacy-focused career at the American Physical Society and what it means to be a physicist on the frontlines of government relations.