Overview

Who We Are

Founded in the fall of 2017, Engaging Scientists in Policy and Advocacy (ESPA) aims to promote the participation of scientists, engineers, and other STEM professionals in policy and advocacy. We are a graduate student-led, interdisciplinary group of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff at the University of Michigan, ranging from biomedical and environmental science to health and public policy fields. The goal of this group is to provide training and implementation for two essential skills:

1.    Effective science advocacy and communication

2.    Comprehension and analysis of science policy 

The above skills are vital for the professional development of aspiring science policy professionals, as well as the engagement of scientists as public citizens. Additionally, many of our events help members engage with the public and government, providing valuable opportunities to build trust in scientists and science. 

ESPA is a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Allied Groups and a chapter of the National Science Policy Network (NSPN), which provides extensive professional development and networking opportunities for ESPA members interested in science policy and science communication. ESPA members can opt to also become NSPN members and engage with a broader network of professionals pursuing careers in science policy and science communication. 

What We Do

ESPA provides training and implementation for science policy and science communication to University of Michigan affiliated individuals in STEM-related fields. You can find examples of the programming and opportunities we have organized in the past below. For current and upcoming events - check out our events page! 

Advocacy Days

ESPA often organizes advocacy outreach to lawmakers, often referred to as “Hill Days.” These are an opportunity to meet legislators and decision-makers at the local, state, and national levels while promoting science and advocating for evidence-based policies. 

K-12 STEM Funding in Michigan

ESPA members at a Lansing “Hill Day” in May, advocating for K-12  STEM education funding 

Reporting the Consensus Conference

ESPA members in Lansing in August 2019, presenting Consensus Conference results to lawmakers

Meet a Scientist 

The aim of Meet A Scientist events were to build one-on-one relationships between academic scientists and community members traditionally underserved by conventional outreach programs, with the intent to foster dialogue and trust between these groups. 

Small groups of scientists attended social gatherings intended for adults (e.g., bars, farmer’s markets). Attendees wore t-shirts that read “I’m a Scientist, Ask Me About _____” (filled in with their research topic) to encourage strangers to initiate conversation. Unlike traditional lecture-based models of science communication, this initiative aimed to facilitate dialogue and learning for both parties (scientists and community members). 

In preparation for these outreach events, we organized a number of science communication and public engagement workshops to equip participants with tools and skills to effectively engage with diverse audiences, such as Story of Self (using narrative to build trust), Know Us Project (using empathy to build relationships), and Improv for Communication, all hosted by qualified experts.

One-on-one dialogue provides lay citizens with an environment to express diverse values, experiences, and opinions to scientific experts. Academic science traditionally occurs in an isolated environment and opportunities for meaningful engagement across demographics is rare. With this initiative, ESPA aimed to leave both scientists and lay citizens more comfortable engaging with each other and with a better understanding of others’ values, knowledge, and motivations. Meet A Scientist is a great example of our desire to foster public engagement with science by providing training and implementation for science communication. 

Dr. Ember McCoy at the 2018 Art Fair

J.C. Kibbey (Union of Concerned Scientists) leading Advocacy 101: one-on-one advocacy

Consensus Conferences

Why Consensus Conferences?

A method first pioneered in Denmark in the mid-1980’s, Consensus conferences bring a diverse group of 12 to 15 citizens together over three or more days to discuss a high-profile technical matter and to compose an official statement targeting local decision-makers.

Consensus Conferences follow a standard procedure, and have several components: