Science, Technology & Engineering Policy Group
 
 

Science Policy Networking Event

 
STEP Mission

As we enter of the 21st century, many of the most pressing public policy issues have a strong science and technology component, such as:

  • How can we develop clean sources of energy that reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil and the emission of greenhouse gases?
  • Will the rapid proliferation of advanced biotechnologies increase the chance of biological attack against the United States?
  • How can we use information technology to reduce medical errors and the administrative cost of our healthcare system?
  • What are the social consequences of the development of personal genomics?

These questions are, by their nature, interdisciplinary and complex. Unfortunately, elected officials and their staff often lack the technical expertise to make the informed decisions on these issues. Additionally, scientists and engineers rarely engage in the public policy process, either due to a lack of interest, an inability to communicate with a lay audience, or a lack of understanding of the nature of political institutions and tools of governance.

UC Berkeley is in a unique position to help bridge this divide because of the depth and breadth of its excellence in science, engineering, social science, and public policy. STEP provides students of all interested disciplines an opportunity to present, discuss, and educate themselves about science policy issues, while building essential skills to participate in the science policy arena.

We organize four main events:

  1. Monthly Seminar Series: to bring expert science policy professionals to discuss their work
  2. Monthly Journal Club: to read, present, and discuss articles that discuss a diversity of science policy issues
  3. White Paper Competition: a writing competition with over $5,000 in cash prizes for a white paper on a science policy topic of choice.
  4. Science Policy Networking Event: an annual event to allow STEP members of all disciplines to meet one another and potentially form collaborations.

To contact the organizers for any event, please feel free to contact us.


 

Funding provided by: