Science and public policy is an area much in demand today in both the public and private sectors. People who work in this area advise governmental agencies such as the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) on issues relating to environmental law, environmental impact, alternative energy sources, feasibility of various technology programs from the space shuttle to funding for linear accelerators. Policy experts are also employed by private corporations to research environmental regulations, to provide information to Congress on legislation that affects the introduction or regulation of new technology of interest to a company, etc. With the recent expansion of the biotechnology business, many aspects of newly engineered plants or animals require knowledge of public policy issues.
Students interested in pursuing careers in science and public policy can either enter the field directly after receiving a B.A., or enroll in graduate work for an M.A. or Ph.D. degree. Entering the job market directly after college provides practical experience as well as the opportunity to decide whether the field is attractive as a career choice. Opportunities for such work can be obtained not only with the larger government agencies mentioned above, but also with state environmental agencies, fish and wildlife services, and, of course, private companies. Long-range career advancement may be limited, however, without an advanced degree. M.A. and Ph.D. programs prepare students for managerial positions, as well as for teaching in the general area of science, technology and society at the university level. The following schools, and programs, offer advanced degrees in the field: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Program in Science, Technology and Society); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York (Science and Technology Studies), Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia (School of History, Technology and Society), and Cornell University, New York (Program on Science, Technology and Society). Washington University also offers both a major and minor leading to the B.A. in Engineering and Public Policy through the School of Engineering.
Biology courses that would help prepare students plan for either direct entry into the job market or further graduate work in science and public policy might include: Bio 3041 (Plant Biology and Genetic Engineering), Bio 317A (Conservation Biology), Bio 345A (Scientific Revolution), Bio 349 (Microbiology), Bio 437 (DNA Manipulation), Bio 419 (Ecology). Preparation in statistics is also highly recommended, as well as general preparation in economics and political science. Students wishing more information on graduate programs and opportunities in the area of Science and Public Policy should consult: Teich, Albert and Barry Gold (eds) "Guide to Education in Science, Engineering and Public Policy (AAAS Publication No. 89-40S, 2nd ed, 1990).
There is growing interest in science majors who are interested in pursuing a law degree, particularly to work in areas of patent law, environmental law, and health-related issues. Students interested in exploring this area should attend an open house at the Law School. (Call the Admissions Office, x5-4536, to determine times; usually there is one open house scheduled in the fall and one scheduled in the winter.) Professor Warren Davis, x5-6806, serves as the Pre-Law advisor on campus, and members of the Law School Admissions Office are available to consult with students.
Appropriate course selection in biology would depend on the area of interest. Certainly anyone interested in environmental issues should take Bio 3501 (Evolution) and Bio 419 (Ecology), as well as other courses from the Environmental Sciences. A student interested in patent law might consider preparation in Microbiology (Bio 349), the Lab in DNA Manipulation (Bio 437) and Biochemistry (Bio 451). Certainly anyone with an interest in forensics would want to take both Bio 311 (Vertebrate Structure) and Bio 437 (Lab on DNA Manipulation).
In addition to the practice in analytical thinking achieved by a science major, Law School Admissions Committees will look for evidence of good writing skills. Thus one or more E Comp courses beyond the freshman year would be advisable. Practice in Composition (E Comp 211), Exposition (E Comp 311) and Argumentation (E Comp 312) are all offered at WU. The Political Science Department offers a number of courses that allow one to explore interests in the organization of governments and legal systems.
There is growing interest in science majors who are interested in pursuing a law degree, particularly to work in areas of patent law, environmental law, and health-related issues. Students interested in exploring this area should attend an open house at the Law School. (Call the Admissions Office, x5-4536, to determine times; usually there is one open house scheduled in the fall and one scheduled in the winter.) Dean Sara Johnson, x5-4936, serves as the Pre-Law advisor on campus, and members of the Law School Admissions Office are available to consult with students.
Appropriate course selection in biology would depend on the area of interest. Certainly anyone interested in environmental issues should take Bio 3501 (Evolution) and Bio 419 (Ecology), as well as other courses from the Environmental Sciences. A student interested in patent law might consider preparation in Microbiology (Bio 349), the Lab in DNA Manipulation (Bio 437) and Biochemistry (Bio 451). Certainly anyone with an interest in forensics would want to take Bio 311 (Vertebrate Structure), Bio 4183 (Molecular Evolution) and Bio 437 (Lab on DNA Manipulation).
Although not required, many science writers have a Master's or a certificate in journalism. Some graduate journalism programs allow for specialization in science writing, most notably the University of California, Santa Cruz (1-year certificate) and New York University (Master's). More information on various journalism programs is available through the WWW sites listed below.
Students interested in science writing should seek internships to gain experience and make contacts in the field. Students can contact newspapers, university public affairs or news offices, and medical/scientific institutions (e.g., the Smithsonian), to investigate internship opportunities. The Washington University Office of Public Affairs staff includes a number of science writers, and advice and internship possibilities may be sought on campus through the Public Affairs offices at the Medical School (x2-8528) and at Hilltop (please contact Eric Richards, x5-7196). Students also can explore the possibility of receiving credit for independent projects or internships through the English Department (EComp 300: Journalism: Communications Internship).
Additional information can be obtained from the following sources:
For those surfing the net, you may want to start with:
Environmental Journalism Homepage: http://www.sej.org
Journalism & Communications Academic WWW sites: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/commres/jouwww.htm
While the use of computers is rapidly changing this field, there remains a small group of people that work at the interface of art and science. It is possible to become a Certified Medical Illustrator; generally this profession requires completion of a Master's degree program such as the Master of Arts in Medical and Biological Illustration offered by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore). Programs are available also at the Medical College of Georgia (Augusta), the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, and the University of Chicago. Each school accepts 5-10 students a year. The University of Toronto offers a three-year Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Communications.
Most Ph.D. programs in the biological sciences provide a tuition waiver and pay stipends to cover living expenses to enrolled students. Completing a Ph.D. usually takes about five years, most of which is spent performing research. Most programs begin with a year of course work, during which a research lab is identified through a series of research rotations. Teaching assistantships are often a part of the training. Generally, in addition to completing a Ph.D., most Ph.D. biological scientists spend several years (2-4) as post-doctoral fellows, performing additional research, often to specialize further in their research area before seeking a faculty position or another job. It is no longer common or necessary for those who plan to get a Ph.D. first to complete a Master's degree.
"1993 by Sidney Harris- "From Personal Ads to Cloning Labs," WH Freeman and Company.