Impact

Graduate Students attend national workshop on science and technology policy

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four Penn State graduate students were selected to represent the University at the 5th annual CASE Workshop: Catalyzing Advocacy for Science and Engineering, March 18-21, in Washington, D.C. The CASE Workshop is hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The CASE Workshop is open to any university or professional, scientific and/or engineering society that would like to provide an opportunity for their upper-class undergraduates and graduate students in science, mathematics and engineering disciplines to learn about science and technology policy and advocacy. Workshop participants will attend presentations on the role of science in policy-making, receive an introduction to the federal budget and appropriations process, and acquire tools for effective science communication and civic engagement.

The four Penn State graduate students who were selected to participate are Amanda Bailly Burton, doctoral student in agronomy; Michelle Green, doctoral student in biomedical sciences; Stephanie Klein, doctoral student in plant biology; and Grady Henry Zuiderveen, doctoral student in forest resources.

As a testament to the importance of this meaningful educational enhancement opportunity, funding for the graduate students to attend the CASE Workshop was provided by the Graduate School, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and the academic colleges/programs in which the Penn State graduate students are enrolled.

Session topics for the 2018 CASE Workshop will include "Introduction to the Federal Budget Process," "Negotiating an Appropriations Bill," "How Science Policy is Made: Current and Future Outlook for Science Policy," "Congress: Its Structure and Processes," "How Congressional Offices and Committees Operate," and "Communicating Science."

As a supplement to the CASE Workshop experience, administrators at the respective universities and professional associations of the participants schedule meetings with Congressional staff on Capitol Hill.

“I would like to congratulate the students who have been selected to represent Penn State at the CASE Workshop,” said Zack Moore, Penn State’s vice president for government and community relations. “The Office of Government and Community Relations will be working with these students to arrange meetings with Members of Congress and congressional staff so they can put into practice the skills learned at the workshop. The experience these students receive will make them better students and better citizens.” 

In past years, Penn State participants have personally met with U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, and the offices of Pennsylvania Sen. Robert Casey and Sen. Patrick Toomey.

Last Updated March 20, 2018