JSPG Celebrates the Newly Established Graduate Student Caucus

As an organization focused on early career researchers and their engagement in policymaking, the Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) celebrates the newly established bipartisan Graduate Research and Development Caucus (GRAD Caucus). 

The GRAD Caucus is dedicated to the needs of graduate students across the nation, highlighting the “unique and critical role that graduate researchers play in innovation, education, and bolstering our economy.” The launch event took place on Capitol Hill this week.  

Despite the importance of graduate students in driving innovative research and teaching, little attention has traditionally been paid to the needs of this population at the federal policy level. The GRAD Caucus has the potential to change that narrative.

Led by Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA-18), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), and Stephanie Bice (R-OK-5), the GRAD Caucus is the latest development that Washington can use to expand mental health support in academia, improve pay and job quality, and enhance graduate-level training, mentoring, and career preparation for graduate students.

JSPG recently published a special issue on STEM education & workforce development, which is in alignment with policy changes highlighted by the GRAD Caucus to support graduate students.

The initial one-pager outlined three focus areas for the GRAD Caucus:

1. Engage the full talent pool: Ensure accessibility to graduate school for people of all backgrounds including underrepresented minorities, rural students, and international scholars.
2. Support and develop graduate researchers: Improve mentorship and advising, fund fellowships and traineeships, and promote holistic growth and well-being.
3. Provide pathways for future impact: Expand opportunities and pathways for these researchers to apply their unique skills to further support society and tackle national challenges post-graduate school.

Spearheaded by graduate student leaders at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with efforts starting in 2019, the GRAD Caucus aims to provide legislators with briefings on specific policies and programs, connections to graduate researchers, and a forum to advance policy ideas.

Graduate student leaders who spearheaded the GRAD Caucus explained their goals. “We wanted to expand education for members of Congress and staff on what graduate students do,” says Divyansh Kaushik, a PhD candidate at Carnegie Mellon University and President of the university's Graduate Student Assembly. Connect with Divyansh on Twitter.

Benjamin Lane, Doctoral Candidate and Chair of the External Affairs Board for the MIT Graduate Student Council, hopes the GRAD Caucus will “create a more direct link between graduate students and legislators to start addressing the systemic problems in graduate education and research.”  Connect with Benjamin on Twitter.

As the GRAD Caucus activities unfold over the coming months, we look forward to engaging with their efforts to support graduate students across the nation in a number of policy areas.

Post written by JSPG CEO Adriana Bankston.

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About JSPG
​The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is an international, open access peer-reviewed publication managed by and for students, policy fellows, and young scholars in science, technology, and innovation policy. JSPG publishes high-quality articles covering the widest range of topics in formats that are accessible to policymakers. Since 2011, JSPG has served as a vehicle for students and early career researchers to bolster their research and writing credentials in science policy. Visit sciencepolicyjournal.org and follow on Twitter @SciPolJournal to learn more.