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Washington, DC (October 12, 2020) – The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is proud to announce the release of Volume 17 Issue 02, the 2020 Policy Memo Competition Issue, which was co-issued and organized by the National Science Policy Network (NSPN).

“In a world filled with rapidly evolving information, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for more trusted and transparent lines of communication between stewards of science and public policy. Policy memos are a primary example and an essential tool for scientists and engineers to provide analysis, evidence, and recommendations to legislators and the public. We are excited to co-sponsor this second annual Policy Memo Competition with JSPG because it provides an excellent opportunity for so many of our members to begin or continue to develop this skill of concise and effective communication,” said Holly Mayton, NSPN Director of Partnerships.
 
“This issue of JSPG, coming from a large group of authors from across the country, represents a high level of collaborative scholarship by many talented students. This competition regularly produces some of the best works of writing that JSPG is able to publish and this year is no exception,” said Madeleine Jennewein, JSPG’s Assistant Editor-In-Chief for Special Editions.

All memo submissions were reviewed by JSPG, with accepted submissions judged by a special committee formed by NSPN. NSPN provided monetary awards to three student science policy organizations who authored the top three policy memos. The prize money will be used to support and expand programming for the student organizations. Winners are from a number of universities, including: 

1. Emory University, Emory Science Advocacy Network: “Lowering Preventable Maternal Deaths in Rural Georgia”
2. University of Pennsylvania, Penn Science Policy and Diplomacy Group: “Decriminalize Drug-Checking Technologies in Pennsylvania to Prevent Overdose Deaths”
3. North Carolina State University, Science Policy Pack: “Paid Family Leave to Strengthen the STEM Workforce”

Honorable Mentions include:

• Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Science Policy Group: “Improving Healthcare Access Among the Newly Decarcerated”
• University of Michigan, Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program: “Amend Pandemic Preparedness Legislation to Prioritize Diagnostic Test Development and Deployment”
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Catalysts for Science Policy: “Green Infrastructure Incentives to Mitigate Flooding in Madison, WI”

“In many ways the selection of articles presented here really broadens the scope of issues that could be traditionally thought as science policy, applying scientific reasoning and analysis to areas that previously may have been outside the purview of scientists. We are excited to be able to publish these memos at a time when science, and the world of science policy, must work to increase its own diversity and the diversity of areas that it reaches to most effectively improve the lived realities of average people,” said Jennewein.
 
All accepted memos are available to read on the JSPGwebsite. Congratulations to all the winners and we look forward to continuing this competition in future years to engage more early career researchers in policy.

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ABOUT JSPG
The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is an international nonprofit organization and open-access peer- reviewed publication that aims to serve as a platform for students and early career researchers to contribute to the widest range of policy and governance topics relating to science, technology and innovation. Since 2011, JSPG has been the premier journal for the next generation of science and technology policy leaders to bolster their research and writing credentials in science policy. Through innovative partnerships, podcasts and digital media engagement, JSPG aims to empower the next generation in policy debate. Visit sciencepolicyjournal.org and follow on Twitter @SciPolJournal to learn more. Sign up for the JSPG mailing list here. 

ABOUT NSPN
​The National Science Policy Network (NSPN) is a grassroots, member-based organization that catalyzes the engagement of early career scientists and engineers in policymaking by fostering community, training leaders, and empowering advocates for the role of science in policy. In addition to the policy memo competition in collaboration with JSPG, NSPN supports a variety of other activities, including grants, internships, externships, and webinars. Visit scipolnetwork.org and follow on Twitter @SciPolNetwork to learn more. Join NSPN to get our newsletter and more here.

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​Washington, DC (October 01, 2020) – The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is proud to announce the release of Volume 17 Issue 01, the 2020 summer standard issue of the journal, which was co-issued by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowships program (STPF).

“2020 is a momentous year and there is much to be studied and discussed in the science policy arena. This is underscored by the fact that this special issue of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance is the biggest ever to date with 21 articles,” said Beth Rosner, Interim Director of STPF. “Vehicles such as JSPG that so ably push forward the aims of science communication are invaluable to society and science writ large, particularly in times like these.”

“When we first announced this partnership with AAAS STPF in June we highlighted the fact that we were amid a global pandemic, a rapidly deteriorating climate, an intensified global national security and digital environment, coupled with deep social unrest,” said Shalin Jyotishi, Chief Executive Officer of JSPG. “Things have only intensified. This has underscored the need for strong science policy practitioners, which is something the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships program has done for decades.,”
 
"I am particularly proud of this issue, not only because of the wide breadth of topics addressed, but also the critical lens with which authors have connected science and technology policy with urgent societal, environmental, and justice needs,” said Christian Ross, JSPG’s Editor-in-Chief.
 
“From the analysis of inequitable health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized communities and critical assessment of key aspects of our voting and judicial systems to the need for more thoughtful and effective oversight of AI in healthcare, and more sustainable environmental practices in light of climate change, this issue highlights the responsibilities of science and civil society to serve the public interest through critical and evidence-based approaches."

Hosted at the world’s largest general science society, the STPF program has helped thousands of scientists and engineers learn about and contribute first-hand to the policymaking process via yearlong fellowships in the federal sector. JSPG and STPF share a mission of connecting science with policy and fostering a network of science and engineering leaders prepared to develop and execute solutions to address societal challenges.

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ABOUT JSPG
The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is an international nonprofit organization and open-access peer- reviewed publication that aims to serve as a platform for students and early career researchers to contribute to the widest range of policy and governance topics relating to science, technology and innovation. Since 2011, JSPG has been the premier journal for the next generation of science and technology policy leaders to bolster their research and writing credentials in science policy. Through innovative partnerships, podcasts and digital media engagement, JSPG aims to empower the next generation in policy debate. Visit sciencepolicyjournal.org and follow on Twitter @SciPolJournal to learn more. Sign up for the JSPG mailing list here.

ABOUT AAAS S&T POLICY FELLOWSHIPS
​Since 1973, the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) operate as part of the AAAS mandate to advance science and serve society. STPF fosters evidence-based policy and practice by providing opportunities for scientists and engineers from a broad range of disciplines, backgrounds and career stages to apply their knowledge and analytical skills to pressing societal challenges. Fellows serve yearlong assignments in the federal government and each year the program contributes to a growing corps of more than 3,400 policy-savvy leaders working across academia, government, nonprofits, and industry to serve the nation and citizens around the world. Visit aaas.org/STPF and follow @AAAS_STPF on Twitter to learn more. ​

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The UK Science and Innovation Network Partner with the Journal of Science Policy & Governance

Washington, DC (September 25, 2020) – Today, the Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Science and Innovation Network (UK SIN) announced a joint new call for papers timed with the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26), which will be hosted by the United Kingdom and Italy and will take place in Glasgow, Scotland from November 1-12, 2021.
 
This special issue will engage students and early career researchers to develop policy and governance solutions needed to address the broadest range of climate, energy and environmental tenets of the COP 26 conference.
 
Established in 1995, the Conference of Parties (COP) is the decision-making body responsible for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In 2021, COP 26 is set to incorporate the 26th convention, the 16th meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the third meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement.
 
The call for papers will focus on three of the UK’s priority areas for COP 26: Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change, The Transition to Clean Energy-Phasing Out Coal Power and Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change. Students, post-docs, early career researchers and young professionals are encouraged to consider how public policies or governance structures could address global climate change via these lenses.
 
JSPG and UK SIN will host a web panel on October 20, 2020, featuring climate change thought leaders from the US and UK. The deadline to submit papers will be January 10, 2021. Registration to the panel and full details of the competition can be found on the JSPG website.
 
JSPG and UK SIN will also assemble an expert committee to select three outstanding papers. The authors of those papers will be invited to present their work to leaders from the British Embassy, followed by a forum about implementing policy solutions and engaging young people.
 
“Millennials, Generation Z, future generations and their families will be most directly hurt by our planet’s worsening climate environment. Students and early career scientists, engineers and policy leaders are well-positioned to develop fresh, bold but actionable ideas to combat the threat of climate change. JSPG is proud to partner with the UK Science and Innovation Network to engage early career researchers with the United Nation’s COP 26 dialogue and we look forward to advancing our mutual goals,” said Shalin Jyotishi, Chief Executive Officer of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance.
 
“There are no words to describe the horror of watching forests burn, reefs disappear and habitats disintegrate. Across the world, young people are demanding change - we know that as a global community we have got to curb emissions, develop energy solutions and invest in innovative resilience. And we know we need to pick up the pace. The UK’s approach at the upcoming COP26 will emphasize this urgency, working with our partners in government, academia, industry and civil society to accelerate global climate progress. We’re delighted to partner with JSPG on this special issue.  Innovative policy solutions that are powered by science and the passion of young leaders are key to making the changes we so desperately need,” said Ronit Prawer, Regional Director, UK Science & Innovation Network.

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​Washington, DC (June 18, 2020) – The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is pleased to announce that the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowships program (STPF) will join forces to co-issue the 2020 JSPG summer standard issue.
 
Amid a global pandemic, a rapidly deteriorating climate, an intensified global national security and digital environment, coupled with deep social unrest, the need for students, policy fellows, and early career researchers of all academic and professional backgrounds to shape the world’s policy and governance structures around science, technology, and innovation has never been greater.
 
Hosted at the world’s largest general science society, the STPF program has helped thousands of scientists and engineers learn about and contribute first-hand to the policymaking process via yearlong fellowships in the federal sector. JSPG and STPF share a mission of connecting science with policy and fostering a network of science and engineering leaders prepared to develop and execute solutions to address societal challenges. 
 
As part of the partnership, STPF and JSPG will co-host a webinar highlighting how both organizations have advanced the career development of many researchers. “Above all, the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship is a highly impactful, educational opportunity, so partnerships with organizations like JSPG really help move our mission forward,” said Dr. Jennifer Pearl, STPF Director. Dr. Pearl will author the cover memo to frame the summer standard issue, drawing attention to the unique role of researchers in advancing sound science policy.
 
“We are pleased to partner with such an important and powerful catalyst for scientists and engineers to contribute to public policy. The AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows have driven impact all across government for decades, and JSPG looks forward to advancing our mutual goals,” said Shalin Jyotishi, Chief Executive Officer of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance.
 
“As a former Editor-in-Chief for JSPG and an STPF alumnus, I could not be more delighted to see these two organizations partner together to address critical science policy issues during these turbulent times. Given their synergistic commitments to advance science policy, this partnership can provide a platform for science policy professionals to engage in urgent public policy conversations,” said Lida Beninson, a Senior Program Officer at the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine who serves on the JSPG Governing Board.

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ABOUT JSPG
The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is a nonprofit organization and open-access peer- reviewed publication managed by and for students, policy fellows, and young scholars in science, technology, and innovation policy. 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. 

​ABOUT AAAS S&T POLICY FELLOWSHIPS
AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) provide opportunities to outstanding scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about policymaking and contribute their knowledge and analytical skills in the policy realm. Fellows serve yearlong assignments in the federal government and represent a broad range of backgrounds, disciplines, and career stages. Each year, STPF adds to a growing corps over 3,400 strong of policy-savvy leaders working across academia, government, nonprofits, and industry to serve the nation and citizens around the world. Visit https://bit.ly/2XUtJQ9 and follow on Twitter @AAAS_STPF to learn more.

Chief Outreach Officer for the Journal of Science Policy & Governance, Adriana Bankston, helped coordinate and organize a new certificate program in Science Policy & Advocacy for STEM Scientists. Led and hosted by University of California, Irvine’s GPS-STEM Public Policy Prep (P3) program, this online course is organized in conjunction with The Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG)  and UCI’s Ridge to Reef program with contributions from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

Learn more about the program on the course website here.

Below is the course introduction and press release, more information can be found here.

JSPG CEO and UNMGCY member Shalin Jyotishi presented the issue and a brief testimony to share the views of early career scientists, engineers, and policy professionals on these topics during the 23rd Session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) virtual meeting. CSTD is housed within the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).  This opportunity provided an avenue to elevate the voices of the next generation before high-level foreign government leaders. The meeting was focused on  i) harnessing rapid technological change for inclusive and sustainable development, and 2) exploring space technologies for sustainable development. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting also covered how international collaboration is needed to promote the use of science, technology, and innovation (STI) for tackling the pandemic and addressing its impact in an equitable way.

By Shalin R. Jyotishi

Today on June 10th, JSPG will join many in the science community to observe #ShutDownSTEM* in peaceful solidarity to achieve a more diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist society.

Dear colleagues,
 
The protests we see in the United States and around the world have precipitated out of great tragedy but underline the opportunity for us to listen to suppressed voices, including in academia and in STEM. On social media, we see discussions from #BlackandSTEM and #BlackintheIvory illustrating that racism is still pervasive in the academy, where many African Americans and Black people across the globe have been excluded, harassed, and even killed. 
 
We barely scratch the surface when we honor the lives and the suffering of Henrietta Lacks, Anarcha Westcott, and Minnie Lee and Mary Alice Relf. Their lives and the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many more, matter.
 
Over our 10-year history, many emerging scholars and professionals of science and technology policy have published pieces in the Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG) that address diversity and inclusion. A few examples include pieces addressing racial bias in artificial intelligence technology (1, 2), and increasing diversity in clinical trials and the STEM workforce (1, 2). Just this month, in partnership with the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth, we released a special topics issue addressing the "Impacts of Emerging Technology on Inequality and Sustainability" to help elevate the voices of early career researchers in this important dialogue.

We have not done enough. We will continue to explore ways to empower more students and early career researchers to develop innovative policy and governance solutions for a more equitable and anti-racist future.

But today, we will play our part during this trying time. As an organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of science and technology policy leaders who will help shape our collective future, today on June 10th, JSPG will join many in the science and public policy community to observe #ShutDownSTEM* in solidarity with the movement.
 
Whether you live in the United States or elsewhere in the world, I invite you to join us today to uplift voices unheard and support the movement towards a more just, inclusive, equitable, and empathetic society.
 
All my best,
 
Shalin R. Jyotishi
Chief Executive Officer
Journal of Science Policy & Governance, Inc

*According to the organizers, "#ShutDownSTEM is aimed at the broad research community who is not directly participating in ending the global pandemic, COVID-19."

Washington, DC – The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG), is proud to announce the release of its Special Issue on the Impacts of Emerging Technologies on Inequality and Sustainability. This issue was produced in collaboration with the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY), the formal mechanism for children and youth to engage in the United Nations, including the implementation, follow-up, and review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sustainable Development Goals are 17 interconnected goals for countries to achieve by 2030, aiming to address the issues of poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice to "achieve a better and more sustainable future for all."

In the fall of 2019, the JSPG and the UN MGCY teamed up to launch a joint call for submissions for a special topics issue around the "implications of emerging technologies on inequalities and sustainable development." 

As a result, the new issue "spans a variety of topics and styles, touching on critical issues of technology access and implementation, looking at assistive technologies and sanitary technologies, to UN policies, such as coordination of international aid, to tackling new areas where policy is necessary, such as the need for stronger planetary protection policy," said JSPG Assistant Editor-in-Chief for Special Issues, Madeleine Jennewein. "The six articles with authors from five nations, represent a broad work of scholarship on diverse areas that are critical to tackling the UN's development goals."

In a statement for the issue, the Director of Division on Technology and Logistics for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Shamika N. Sirimanne said, "Rapid technological change could be transformative in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and several frontier technologies have shown great potential to help to achieve the SDGs. At the same time, frontier technologies could also have unintended consequences, potentially widening inequalities or creating new ones. In this regard, I welcome this initiative by JSPG and UNMGCY to engage young researchers to improve our understanding of multidimensional implications of emerging technologies."

Submissions to this special issue aim to inform discussions at the 2020 Commission on Science & Technology for Development, including the deliberations around the 2020 Technology and Innovation Report as well as the Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology & Innovation on SDGs.

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ABOUT JSPG
The Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG) is a nonprofit organization and open-access, peer-reviewed publication managed by and for students, policy fellows, and scholars in science, technology, and innovation policy. Since 2011, JSPG has provided students and early career researchers a vehicle to bolster their research and writing credentials in science policy. Visit sciencepolicyjournal.org and follow @SciPolJournal on Twitter to learn more.

ABOUT UN MGCY
The UN Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) is the General Assembly-mandated official, formal, and self-organised space for children and youth to contribute to and engage in certain intergovernmental and allied policy processes at the UN since 1992. Our mission is to bridge children and youth and the UN system in order to ensure that their right to meaningful participation is realised. The UN MGCY, through its Youth Science-Policy Interface Platform, provides an open platform to engage young people from across the globe on topics related to science, technology, and innovation policy. Visit unmgcy.org and follow @UNMGCY on Twitter to learn more.