Advice from a Scientist-Policy Maker on Giving Advice to a Policy Maker

As a member of the APS, I have met with and offered advice to federal policy-makers and their staff multiple times. Since 2016, I have also been a member of the NJ Legislature where I am the only scientist, and am the Chair of the Science, Innovation, and Technology Committee. In that role, I meet regularly with scientists and other stakeholders on a multitude of state legislative issues. Based upon my experiences, it is clear to me that effective scientific policy advice must, of course, start with an understanding of the background of the people you are speaking to and a presentation that is clear, jargon-free, and has a specific request. However, the assumption is most often to begin with the "big picture" and put the request at the end, but that is the opposite of what I have found to be effective. In addition, one must understand that while clear science policy advice is important, final policy decisions are most often made based upon a variety of complex factors, from fiscal restraints to competing interests. If these are known and acknowledged in the meeting there is an opportunity to maximize the impact. I will offer examples and practical advice based upon both my scientific and legislative background.