(211a) Career Opportunities for Engineers in Science and Technology Policy | AIChE

(211a) Career Opportunities for Engineers in Science and Technology Policy

Authors 

McKittrick, A. - Presenter, IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute
Abrahams, L. - Presenter, IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute
As the government increasingly embraces the importance of science and technology, there are more opportunities than ever for scientists and engineers to interact with policymakers and to contribute to decision making around key issues that will affect society for years to come. From environmental regulations to cybersecurity, there is a critical need for engineers to provide sound data analysis and technical insight into these issues to help decision makers understand the impacts of different policies and identify priority scientific research areas. In this talk, I will discuss my experience as science and technology policy analyst who uses my chemical engineering background to support Federal decision making. Additionally, I will discuss our career paths and introduce ways by which interested engineering students and professionals can gain experience in the policy realm, including graduate school programs, summer internships, and post-degree fellowship opportunities for individuals at any career stage. While science and technology policy is a growing field with an acute need for top engineering talent, engineers are often unaware of these programs and experiences. This highly interactive talk will address audience questions on the non-traditional engineering career opportunities in both Federal and non-Federal positions, and on how they can use their technical backgrounds to support and inform the non-technical community on critical societal issues related to engineering, science and technology.