ADVERTISEMENT
Photo of the Capitol Building in Washington DC.
From Lab Coat to Legislation
Following graduate school, Sarah Carter headed to Washington, DC to carve out a career in science policy.
From Lab Coat to Legislation
From Lab Coat to Legislation

Following graduate school, Sarah Carter headed to Washington, DC to carve out a career in science policy.

Following graduate school, Sarah Carter headed to Washington, DC to carve out a career in science policy.

science policy

In the foreground, a magnifying glass hovers over a strand of DNA, revealing information hidden in the sequence. Binary code and silhouettes of people are in the background. 
Biotechs Bolster Biosecurity to Safeguard the Future of Nucleic Acid Sequencing
Danielle Gerhard, PhD | Aug 22, 2024 | 10 min read
Synthetic DNA can pose significant biosecurity risks. Experts call for more screening by providers and institutions to mitigate security concerns.
White House on sunny day
No More Paywalls on Federally Funded Research: White House
Shawna Williams | Aug 25, 2022 | 2 min read
The Biden administration will by 2026 require that all publicly funded work be deposited in designated repositories immediately on publication.
The White House
Eric Lander Allegedly Bullied, Disrespected Staff
Amanda Heidt | Feb 7, 2022 | 4 min read
More than a dozen current and former members of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy have shared details of alleged mistreatment, prompting President Biden’s top scientist to issue a formal apology.
Puzzle of US and Chinese flags
Opinion: Policymakers’ Harmful Anti-China Obsession
Christopher Tonnu Jackson | Sep 28, 2021 | 3 min read
Justifying science funding through the lens of global competition risks fostering racial bias and discrimination.
Illustration of a female scientist on a laptop sitting on top a large pill capsule, with science-related imagery around her
Opinion: Scientists Must Combat Scientific Dogmatism
Ahmed Alkhateeb | Sep 23, 2021 | 5 min read
Correcting misinformation and providing reliable data are collective responsibilities of the research community.
The US Senate Chamber with the Capitol Building in the background.
US Senate Passes Bill for Nearly $250 Billion in Science Funding
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Jun 9, 2021 | 2 min read
The legislation, which now heads to the House, aims to ensure the country can compete with China technologically by supporting research and development over the next five years.
White rabbit in a cage
USDA Only Carries Out Partial Inspections of Some Animal Labs
Catherine Offord | May 5, 2021 | 2 min read
The agency moved to scale back its monitoring in 2019 in a way that experts in animal welfare law say was secretive, Science reveals.
American flag made from blood vials
Depoliticizing Science
Bob Grant | May 1, 2021 | 4 min read
Politicians should of course consider and respect the latest research findings in crafting policy, but elected officials should honor the scientific method by letting its practitioners hash out the details of the science.
Protest signs in support of science
Opinion: Science Advocacy in the Post-Trump Era
Melissa Varga and Shreya Durvasula | May 1, 2021 | 4 min read
The election of Donald Trump brought about a sea change in activism among researchers. How will the movement change now that Trump is out of office?
NSF, National Science Foundation, bill, legislation, Endless Frontier Act, National Science Foundation for the Future Act, innovation, research, funding, science, bipartisan
US Lawmakers Propose Doubling of NSF Funding
Asher Jones | Mar 29, 2021 | 2 min read
A bipartisan bill aims to increase the National Science Foundation’s budget over the next five years and form a new technology directorate.
Biden Names Geneticist Eric Lander as Top Science Adviser
Max Kozlov | Jan 18, 2021 | 3 min read
If confirmed, Lander will head the Office of Science and Technology Policy, a position that President Donald Trump left vacant for 18 months at the beginning of his term.
Biden administration, Trump administration, science policy, politics, research funding, public health, climate change, NSF, NIH, CDC
Science Advocates’ Wishlist for the Biden Administration
Amanda Heidt | Jan 7, 2021 | 6 min read
From immigration reform to climate change amelioration, researchers and science policy advocates share their hopes for 2021 and beyond.
a sign reading "United States Environmental Protection Agency" on the side of a building
EPA Finalizes Much-Criticized “Transparency” Rule
Shawna Williams | Jan 5, 2021 | 3 min read
The regulation, which requires that the agency give preference to dose-response studies in which the underlying data are available, could downplay findings key to defining the dangers of pollution.
Steps to End “Colonial Science” Slowly Take Shape
Ashley Yeager | Jan 1, 2021 | 10 min read
Scientists from countries with fewer resources are pushing collaborators from higher-income countries to shed biases and behaviors that perpetuate social stratification in the research community.
2020 in Scientists’ Own Words
Abby Olena, PhD | Dec 23, 2020 | 5 min read
The world was rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, but researchers rose to all manner of challenges.
Science and Policy Collide During the Pandemic
Diana Kwon | Sep 1, 2020 | 8 min read
COVID-19 has laid bare some of the pitfalls of the relationship between scientific experts and policymakers—but some researchers say there are ways to make it better.
Opinion: The Politics of Science and Racism
Sadye Paez and Erich D. Jarvis | Aug 18, 2020 | 7 min read
Race has been used to segment humanity and, by extension, establish and enforce a hierarchy in science. Individual and institutional commitments to racial justice in the sciences must involve political activity.
Armchair Virologists
Bob Grant | Jun 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Pretending to be a javelin aficionado is one thing. Professing to have real insight into the ongoing pandemic is quite another.
Governments Must Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing, Says WHO
Catherine Offord | Mar 18, 2020 | 4 min read
The World Health Organization warns that a lack of data on how many people have the disease could undermine containment and mitigation efforts in many countries.
ADVERTISEMENT