Journal of Science Policy & Governance
​Volume 19, Issue 01 | November 01, 2021

Policy Memo: Incorporating Graduate-level Internships to Strengthen the STEM Workforce and Trainee Career Prospects

Neysha Martínez-Orengo (1), Mallory R. Smith (2), D. Thad Whitaker (3), Moraima Castro-Faix (4)
  1. Ponce Health Sciences University, Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce, PR
  2. University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kansas City, KS
  3. Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX
  4. Rutgers University, Graduate School of Education, New Brunswick, NJ

Corresponding author: neyshamo@gmail.com
Keywords: STEM Opportunities Act of 2019; professional development; STEM workforce; graduate training; higher education; internships​

Executive Summary

​The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in the United States are currently facing a crisis: graduate programs are not adequately preparing all trainees for the diverse career paths on which they embark. Over recent years, this problem has intensified as the number of Ph.D. holders increased and academic research jobs stagnated or shrunk. Still, most STEM doctoral programs have maintained the singular focus on training students for academic careers at a cost to the individual’s career, society, and the economy. Universities and graduate institutions must adapt to meet the increasing demand for STEM laborers in non-academic sectors and provide relevant and robust training to their students. We propose amending the STEM Opportunities Act of 2019 to incentivize institutions to integrate experiential learning and expand training services. Provided diverse career-training, highly-skilled Ph.D. graduates will more efficiently enter and fill the STEM workforce, stimulating the U.S. economy. Addressed to: The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, United States House of Representatives; and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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Neysha Martinez-Orengo is currently a postdoctoral fellow studying the validation of candidate imaging biomarkers to better understand the pathophysiology of infectious diseases and improve non-invasive diagnostic techniques. She holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico. Neysha is an active member of the Puerto Rico-Science Policy Action Network (PR-SPAN), a STEAM advocate, mentor, and leader in STEM education and outreach.
 
Mallory R. Smith is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the field of DNA repair. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Her research focuses on how DNA is replicated and repaired after being damaged by UV rays, pollutants, and other environmental exposures. Mallory is an active science policy advocate, a STEM non-profit co-founder, and a former organizer for a state science policy program.
 
D. Thad Whitaker is a scientific program manager leading teams to understand healthy aging and the alterations that lead to neurological disorders. He holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Texas A&M University. He is active in his communities including a local Washington, D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission, various community service opportunities, and career development groups.
 
Moraima Castro-Faix holds a Ph.D. in the learning sciences from Rutgers University. Her research focuses on studying and developing curricula in the sciences at the middle school and high school level. She is involved in a project with EuroScitizen, which aims to study children’s understanding of natural selection, and in which she is translating to Spanish the natural selection book How Piloses Evolved Their Noses. She recently started a scientific program manager position and is part of a team that supports a scholarship for low-income students.
Acknowledgements
The authors want to thank the Science Policy Discussion Group in Bethesda, Maryland, for connecting the authors and providing science policy-related exposure.
 
Disclaimers
Authors declare no conflict of interest, and their views do not necessarily represent those of their affiliations.

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