Connecting research to policy on Capitol Hill

This spring, 25 MIT students and postdocs traveled to Washington to meet with congressional staffers and advocate for sustained federal investment in scientific research. 

With recent cuts to National Science Foundation programs and continued uncertainty surrounding the federal research budget, these conversations were especially timely. Over the course of just two days, participants met with 62 congressional offices representing 32 states to discuss the importance of federal support for scientific research, higher education, and other policy concerns related to their individual research areas.

Each spring, the MIT Science Policy Initiative (SPI) organizes Congressional Visit Days (CVD), a program that introduces graduate students and postdocs to the federal policymaking process while demonstrating the many ways scientists can engage in policy advocacy. In addition to meeting with congressional offices, participants connect with Washington-based MIT alumni and members of the MIT Washington Office to learn about careers at the intersection of science and public policy.

This year's CVD was co-organized by Audrey Parker, a PhD student in civil and environmental engineering at MIT, and Ian Robertson, a PhD student in physical oceanography at MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Robertson reflects on the experience: