[YEAR 1 Recap] JSPG’s Leadership Fireside Chat Series, Launched Summer 2021

Since its establishment 10 years ago, the Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) has been instrumental in elevating the voices of early career researchers in science, technology and innovation policy. The leadership within this organization have been key to pushing forward the goals and the mission of the journal. 

In 2021, JSPG launched the Leadership Chat Series to speak directly with those leaders who helped and continue to support the success of the journal, to hear about their experiences with the journal and ways in which JSPG can help early career scholars hone their research and writing skills and progress in their career advancement by publishing in the journal. The series is supported by STEMPeers. 

The JSPG leadership chat series so far has featured leadership staff, including the journal’s CEO and managing publisher Adriana Bankston and distinguished members of the JSPG Governing Board who support the journal in outreach, development, partnerships, and strategic planning. This series provided a platform for our leaders to expand on their knowledge and help elevate JSPG’s mission internationally, and was one of the initial projects spearheaded by JSPG’s current CEO. 

In August of this year we first heard from Adriana Bankston, 100 days into her new role as JSPG CEO and Managing Publisher. Adriana Bankston shared her vision for the journal under her tenure and as we move into the new decade. The journal has experienced so much growth over the past several years and what’s unique about the journal, as well as key to its continued success, is being a vehicle to publishing policy work from early career researchers. JSPG has been publishing for an entire decade and our most recent issue highlighted that milestone. Adriana hopes that over the next decade JSPG will continue to reach broader audiences including expanding internationally and elevate our authors' published works to higher platforms. 

Our second discussion featured JSPG Governing Board Member Toby Smith, and centered around how early career researchers can help shape the future of science policy. This chat highlighted our recently published Special Issue: Shaping the Future of Science Policy in partnership with AAAS and sponsored by the Kavli Foundation. Throughout Toby’s career he has been in position to witness the impact of early career researchers on science policy, and he shared many of those experiences in depth during our very insightful chat. 

Following our chat with Toby, we next talked with JSPG Governing Board Member, Merhdad Hariri. This conversation was focused around our published Special Issue: Intersectional Science Policy sponsored by the National Science Policy Network, covering the intersection between diversity, equity, inclusion and science policy. There is still so much work to do in this area, but diversity must remain a top priority for our work in science policy. 

The next two chats featuring JSPG Senior Advisor Shalin Jyotishi and Governing Board Member Lida Beninson were very focused on policy making around STEM education and workforce development. In conjunction with the journal’s call for papers for our Special Issue: Re-envisioning STEM Education and Workforce Development for the 21st Century (submit to the issue by January 23, 2022!), we highlighted during each chat ways that STEM education and workforce policies can be reformed to support a more robust workforce, and expanded upon pathways into the workforce from the expertise of the speakers. In addition, we discussed how STEM education can better align with the labor market for K-12, community college, and higher education sectors to support the current and future workforce. To learn more about this topic, read the blog post written by early career researchers who attended events leading up to the special issue submission deadline.

So far in this series, all the Leadership Chats have had one thing in common, and that is to emphasize the impact that early career researchers can have on science, technology and innovation policy no matter where they are in their careers. Whether someone is an undergraduate, graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, policy fellow or early career professional they can have a voice and contribute to the changes they would like to see in policy. 

JSPG continues to be an innovative, relevant and timely vehicle to elevate the voices of early career researchers in policy making through substantial engagement in policy research, writing and editing. Over the next decade, JSPG will continue to serve in this role and with the support of our distinguished leaders, we hope to impact future generations around the world and contribute to building the next generation of science policy leaders. 

​Learn more about the Leadership Fireside Chat Series here and watch all the chats here. Stay tuned for future chats in 2022!

Post written and compiled by Nicole Parker, JSPG’s Director of U.S. Outreach, who led the planning, organizing and execution of the chat series this year. Edited by JSPG CEO, Adriana Bankston.