Our Mission

Our mission is to train graduate students to be active and trusted members of the public policy community through the use of sharing research and analytical skills developed in their respective fields. We provide early-career scientists with hands-on training and a platform to practice the skills necessary to navigate and engage in the policy world as scientists, communicators, legislative advisors, and/or science advocates. We strive to empower UCR graduate students to participate in science policy by providing a suite of experiences and  opportunities to learn from and engage with public policy experts before they graduate to encourage the development of science policy as a career path.
 
Students in the S2P program will gain insights into:

• Policy making processes at the federal and state level
• Where and when scientist input is valuable
• How a scientist can become part of the policy making process
• Communication and other skills necessary for scientists to work effectively with policy makers
• Opportunities for professional development at UCR, including the Designated Emphasis in Public Policy

Our Values and Principles

The Science to Policy (S2P) Program at UCR is committed to diversity and inclusion among all scientists regardless of race, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, immigrant status, religion, physical appearance, and/or political beliefs. To create a community of engaged scientists and engineers interested in science policy pathways, we want to clearly affirm our unwavering principles that state: 
 

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion along every axis are critical for our organization, the scientific enterprise, and our community.
• Ensuring lasting diversity, equity and inclusion requires going beyond intervention, it needs lasting system change.
• Systemic change beings with everyone feeling safe and respected.
• Hatred, discrimination, and injustice have no place in our program, in science, or in our community.
• As a community, it is our responsibility to reflect and educate ourselves on these issues before asking others to be allies of the BIPOC and other marginalized communities.