Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Volume 24, Issue 01 | April 30, 2024

Workshop Report:  ​“How to Bridge the Gap”: Empowering Early-Career Scientists to Navigate the Science-Policy Interface—Conclusions from a Summer School​

Lucie Chanvillard (1), Pauline Franz (1), Matteo Grasso (2),Una Pale (1), Perrine Robin (1)
  1. Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland 
  2. Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland 
All authors contributed equally. 

​Corresponding author:  [email protected] ​​​
Keywords: science-informed policymaking; early-career scientists; impact; policy framework; science communication; open science; citizen science; networking
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG240104 ​

Executive Summary

The “Science and Policy - How to Bridge the Gap” summer school, which took place in July 2023 in Switzerland, aimed to educate PhD students in natural science and engineering on engaging with policymakers effectively. Over the course of five days, the program covered various aspects of the Swiss and international science-policy interface, including the Science for Policy framework, concrete examples of evidence-based policy advice from scientists, and talks on the significance of Open Science (OS) and public engagement in fostering the dialogue between science and society. Additionally, multiple workshops illustrated science communication formats for different audiences, such as policymakers, stakeholders, and the general public. Organized by five PhD students with a natural science and/or engineering background, the event brought together thirty participants and featured twenty-eight speakers, creating a highly international and stimulating learning environment.

​This workshop review, written by the summer school organizers, summarizes the school’s outcomes and aims to provide valuable insights for early-career scientists and engineers taking their first steps in science-informed policymaking. The roles scientists may play at the science-policy interface, the various meeting points (physical and ideological) to interact with decision-makers, tools for more effective communication with non-expert audiences, and the importance of OS and Citizen Science (CS) in integrating scientific information more widely into society are discussed. Based on the participants’ feedback, suggestions are also offered for future events on science and policy, which early-career researchers can implement in their respective universities and countries. Given the strong commitment of participants and their desire to create a community, the authors believe such workshops are essential to give early-career scientists the tools and network to actively engage in the science-policy landscape.

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Background header image courtesy of Bloomberg
Lucie Chanvillard is a Ph.D. student in biotechnology and bioengineering at EPFL, Switzerland, and at the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Switzerland. Her research focuses on metabolic disruptions in aging, with a particular emphasis on kidney health. She is committed to advancing translational science that generates impact, ensuring the equitable dissemination of knowledge in society through various forms of science communication. 

Pauline Franz is a Ph.D. student in Chemical Biology in the laboratory of Beat Fierz at EPFL in Switzerland. She investigates the molecular mechanisms of DNA repair from a chemical perspective, with a particular ​focus on ubiquitin signaling. Moreover, she is invested in making science accessible as demonstrated by her teaching, science communication, and illustration work. 

Matteo Grasso is a Ph.D. student in the Laboratory of Nuclear Systems and Multiphase Flows, department of mechanical and process engineering, at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. His main focus is on numerical and experimental characterization of thin liquid films in annular flows for the cooling of Boiling Water Reactors. He has a particular interest in the impact of scientific research on policymaking. 

Dr. Una Pale is a Postdoc in the Embedded Systems Lab at EPFL, Switzerland, working on designing algorithms for healthcare monitoring. Her motivation lies in bridging the gap between impressive algorithmic performances and realistic healthcare applications. In her free time, she leads an association of Croatian young researchers - 'Penkala' and manages a broad range of projects on the topics of science education, networking, and open science. 
Perrine Robin is a Ph.D. student in Chemistry in the Group for Functionalized Biomaterials of Sandrine Gerber at EPFL, Switzerland. She develops biosensors for the detection of viral RNA from saliva samples, especially for monitoring arboviruses in Switzerland. She is particularly interested in scientific research for societal challenges. 
​
Acknowledgements 
The authors thank the funding sources EPFL and ETH Zurich. The authors also acknowledge financial support from the SYA and The Royal Society Open Science Journal. Furthermore, the authors thank Prof. Annalisa Manera, Prof. Georg Fantner, Prof. Beat Fierz, Prof. Sandrine Gerber, Prof. David Atienza, Prof. Marco Mazotti, Prof. Michel Bierlaire, Dr. Gilles Dubochet and Nina Eggert for expressing their support during funding acquisition. Finally, the authors want to thank all the speakers and participants, who made this summer school a truly enriching experience. 

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