Science Policy Resources & Links
Please scroll down to view our many different resource topics, or simply click on the links below to be taken to a specific area:
Science Policy and Advocacy Organizations
Federal Science Policy Sites
Science Policy Career Resources
Science Policy and Advocacy Organizations
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)
FASEB is composed of 23 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB enhances the ability of biomedical and life scientists to improve—through their research—the health, well-being and productivity of all people. Our mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to its member societies and collaborative advocacy. Includes resources on science funding and other legislative issues, stem cells and benefits of biomedical research.
The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research
The Ad Hoc Group is a coalition of patient and voluntary health groups, medical and scientific societies, academic and research organizations and industry dedicated to increased funding for biomedical research by increasing appropriations for the National Institutes of Health.
American Association for the Advancement in Science (AAAS)
The Directorate for Science and Policy Programs (SPP) serves society, government, and the research community through a diverse set of activities. Its programs address several objectives of the AAAS, including furthering the work of scientists, improving the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfare, and fostering scientific freedom and responsibility.
American Chemical Society (ACS)
The American Chemical Society is a non-profit scientific and educational organization, chartered by Congress, with more than 160,000 chemical scientists and engineers as members. The world’s largest scientific society, ACS advances the chemical enterprise, increases public awareness of chemistry, and brings its expertise to state and national matters. Issues of concern include research funding and innovation, education and the workforce, environmental issues and international science and security issues.
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
The American Institute of Physics is a not-for-profit membership corporation created for the purpose of promoting the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics and its application to human welfare. It is the mission of the Institute to serve the sciences of physics and astronomy by serving its member societies, by serving individual scientists, and by serving students and the general public. As a "society of societies," AIP supports ten Member Societies and provides a spectrum of services and programs devoted to advancing the science and profession of physics.
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a nonprofit association of medical schools, teaching hospitals, and academic societies. The AAMC seeks to improve the nation's health by enhancing the effectiveness of academic medicine. AAMC works with their members to set a national agenda for medical education, biomedical research, and health care.
Association of American Universities (AAU)
The Association of American Universities is a nonprofit organization of 62 leading public and private research universities in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1900 to advance the international standing of U.S. research universities, AAU today focuses on issues that are important to research-intensive universities, such as funding for research, research policy issues, and graduate and undergraduate education. AAU programs and projects address institutional issues facing its member universities, as well as government actions that affect these and other universities. AAU works to maintain the productive partnership between the nation’s research universities and the federal government. The major activities of the association include federal government relations, policy studies, and public affairs.
Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF)
The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) is an alliance of over 100 organizations united by a concern for the future vitality of the national science, mathematics, and engineering enterprise. CNSF supports the goal of increasing the national investment in the National Science Foundation's research and education programs in response to the unprecedented scientific, technological, and economic opportunities facing the United States.
Council on Government Relations (COGR)
The Council on Governmental Relations is an association of research universities. Its Washington office is located in the District of Columbia. Since its inception in 1948, COGR has been continuously involved in the development of all major financial and administrative aspects of federally-funded research. Today, COGR's primary function is to provide advice and information to its membership and to make certain that federal agencies understand academic operations and the impact of proposed regulations on colleges and universities. COGR helps to develop policies and practices that fairly reflect the mutual interests and separate obligations of federal agencies and universities in research and graduate education.
Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC)
The Energy Sciences Coalition (ESC) is a broad based coalition of organizations representing scientists, engineers and mathematicians in universities, industry and national laboratories who are committed to supporting and advancing the scientific research programs of the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), and in particular, the DoE Office of Science.
Friends of the VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA)
Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA) is a diverse coalition of more than 80 national academic, medical and scientific societies, voluntary health and patient advocacy associations and industry that advocate appropriate funding for the health programs that serve the nations veterans. Among its many activities, FOVA members regularly brief members of Congress on the funding needs of health care and research at the Department of Veterans (VA), raise awareness of VA medical care and research programs, and host special events that highlight VA research successes.
National Academies
The National Academies perform an unparalleled public service by bringing together committees of experts in all areas of scientific and technological endeavor. These experts serve pro bono to address critical national issues and give advice to the federal government and the public. Four organizations comprise the Academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.
Research!America
Research!America is the nation's largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance, committed to making research to improve health a higher national priority. With more than 500 member organizations, representing a vast array of medical, health and scientific fields, the organization aims to achieve four goals: 1) Achieve funding for medical and health research from the public and private sectors at a level warranted by scientific opportunity and supported by public opinion, 2) Better inform the public of the benefits of medical and health research and the institutions that perform research, 3) Motivate the public to actively support medical and health research and the complementary sciences that make advances possible, and 4) Promote and empower a more active public and political life by individual members of the research community on behalf of medical and health research, public health, and science overall.
Task Force on the Future of American Innovation (TFFAI)
The Task Force on the Future of American Innovation, comprised of organizations from industry and academia, advocates increased federal support for research in the physical sciences and engineering. Formed in 2004, the Task Force urges strong, sustained increases for research budgets at the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy Office of Science, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Department of Defense.
Federal Science Policy Sites
Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP)
Congress established OSTP in 1976 with a broad mandate to advise the President and others within the Executive Office of the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The 1976 Act also authorizes OSTP to lead an interagency effort to develop and to implement sound science and technology policies and budgets and to work with the private sector, state and local governments, the science and higher education communities, and other nations toward this end.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The Office of Science Policy and Planning: 1) Serves as the principal resource for science policy, analysis, and development at NIH on issues of significance to the agency and the medical research community; 2) Addresses cross-cutting science policy issues and drafts the agency approach and position; 3) Provides leadership in developing major analyses of broad planning issues affecting the programs and policies of the major program components of NIH; 4) Participates in the development of new policy and program initiatives in emerging research areas.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) communicates information about the activities, programs, research results and policies of the National Science Foundation. OLPA employs a wide variety of tools and techniques to engage the general public and selected audiences including Congress, the news media, state and local governments, other Federal agencies, and the research and education communities.
Dept. of State Science Adviser
The Adviser's mission derives from the widely recognized fact that science and technology are ubiquitous to the functioning of the modern world and the framing and execution of domestic policies and international relations. Science and technology -- the engines of modern industrial economies -- are seminal to international cooperation and are the "bricks and mortar" of the three pillars of national security -- intelligence, diplomacy and military readiness.
Science Policy Career Resources
AAAS Science Policy Fellowships
The American Association for the Advancement of Science sponsors 10 science and technology policy fellowship programs to provide the opportunity for accomplished and societally aware postdoctoral to mid-career scientists and engineers to participate in and contribute to the public policy making process of the federal government. Thirty additional fellowships are supported by other science and engineering organizations.
Christine Mirzayan S&T Policy Graduate Fellowship Program
The Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program of the National Academies is designed to engage graduate science, engineering, medical, veterinary, business, and law students in the analysis that informs the creation of science and technology policy and to familiarize them with the interactions of science, technology, and government. As a result, students develop essential skills different from those attained in academia and make the transition from being a graduate student to a professional.
Assorted Science Policy Opportunities
Assembled by the University of Colorado Center for Science and Technology Policy Research.