This spring, 25 MIT students and a postdoctoral researcher journeyed to Washington, where they engaged with congressional offices to champion federal scientific funding and specific, evidence-based policies derived from their investigations into urgent matters — encompassing artificial intelligence, health, climate and ocean science, energy, and industrial decarbonization. Coordinated annually by the Science Policy Initiative (SPI), this year’s visit occurred at a particularly pivotal juncture, as science agencies are confronting extraordinary funding reductions.
During the span of two days, the group engaged with 66 congressional offices across 35 states and select committees, advocating for consistent funding for scientific agencies such as the Department of Energy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Defense.
Congressional Visit Days (CVD), arranged by SPI, provide students and researchers with a practical introduction to federal policymaking. Besides meetings on Capitol Hill, participants connected with MIT alumni in government and examined potential career trajectories in science policy.
This year’s excursion was co-organized by Mallory Kastner, a PhD candidate in biological oceanography at MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), alongside Julian Ufert, a PhD candidate in chemical engineering at MIT. Prior to the journey, participants attended preparatory sessions led by SPI, the MIT Washington Office, and the MIT Policy Lab. These sessions addressed effective strategies for translating scientific discoveries into policy, approaches for a successful advocacy meeting, and hands-on demonstrations of a congressional meeting.
Participants then reached out to their representatives’ offices ahead of time and customized their discussion points to align with each office’s committees and priorities. This approach provided participants with firsthand experience in initiating policy discussions with those actively engaging with issues they were passionate about.
Audrey Parker, a PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering focusing on methane reduction, highlights the importance of linking scientific research with congressional focuses: “Through CVD, I had the chance to partake in discussions about science-driven solutions and advocate for the influence of research in forming policies that address national priorities — including energy, sustainability, and climate action.”
For many participants, stepping into the role of a policy advisor was a refreshing change from their academic responsibilities and scientific routines. For Alex Fan, an undergraduate majoring in electrical engineering and computer science, the journey was enlightening: “It demonstrated to me that student perspectives truly matter in shaping science policy. Engaging with lawmakers, especially my own representative, Congresswoman Bonamici, rendered the experience personal and motivating. It has prompted me to seriously contemplate a future at the crossroads of research and policy.”
“I was genuinely impressed by the curiosity and commitment of our participants, as well as the preparation they brought to each meeting,” states Ufert. “It was uplifting to witness them evolve into confident advocates, utilizing their experiences as students and their knowledge as researchers to advise on policy requirements.”
Kastner remarks: “It was enlightening to observe the gap between scientists and policymakers. Much of the knowledge we produce as scientists rarely reaches the desks of congressional staff, and even less frequently to the congressperson’s. CVD was an incredibly empowering experience for me as a scientist — not only am I more driven to expand my scientific outreach to legislators, but I now possess the skills to effectively do so.”
Funding forms the foundation that enables scientists to conduct research and achieve discoveries. In the United States, federal financial support for science has facilitated significant technological advancements and improvements in manufacturing and various industrial sectors, as well as led to crucial environmental protection standards. While participants noted that the level of support for scientific funding varied among offices across the political spectrum, they found reassurance in the fact that numerous offices on both sides recognized the importance of science.