The Bridge Initiative for Science and Technology Policy, Leadership, and Communications has been awarded a $100,000 State Science Policy Fellowship Planning Grant from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The award, supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, will fund a fellowship program that aims to provide rigorous, nonpartisan science and technology policy research and analysis for members of the West Virginia Legislature starting in January.
“Science and technology are at the heart of today’s increasingly complex public policy challenges,” said Joan Centrella, Bridge Initiative director. “This award from NCSL’s Center for Results-Driven Governing will provide West Virginia state legislators with ‘on-demand’ access to science and technology resources as important inputs to the policymaking process.”
Two full-time STPF Fellows will be selected from applicants holding a doctoral degree or other graduate degree in areas of science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
In response to requests from West Virginia state legislators, the fellows will draft science and technology notes starting at the beginning of the legislative session in January. These evidence-based notes will provide an overview of the topic from a scientific and technical perspective, explaining the topic in jargon-free terms with the focus on West Virginia’s needs and potential.
Fellows writing these one-page notes will outline the current policies, opportunities and challenges. They will also analyze policies from other states responding to similar challenges or opportunities. West Virginia legislators will then be able to incorporate this analysis into their decision making as they see fit. The science and technology notes will not make policy recommendations.
Illustrative policy topics to be addressed by these notes include health, economic development, energy, education, workforce, environment and transportation. Find sample notes.
“This S&T Fellowship Program is a great opportunity for West Virginia,” Centrella said. “We look forward to working with legislators and partners to serve our state.”