SPAG Highlights

2023-2024

This fall, we had a wide variety of events, including Sci Pol 101 with our advisor Dr. Jeffrey Warren, two science policy journal clubs, and an event on water diplomacy co-sponsored with Global Affairs here at UNC! We celebrated the end of the semester with a social and networking event with our fellow Triangle science policy groups: Duke SPaCE and NC State Sci Pol Pack. Our work was recently highlighted in the National Science Policy Network! You can read their interview of Co-Presidents Rosa and Rami here.

We are in the midst of planning our spring slate of events on topics like artificial intelligence and climate justice!

2022-2023

Fall events included a Triangle-wide science policy social at The Daily in Durham, a mini environmental science policy event series, and a cookie social.

We held our biannual certificate series in Spring 2023. Our awesome exec team organized a dozen events (!!) attended by hundreds of students. Events included workshops on how to write policy memos and briefs, discussion panels on the intersection of science policy and topics like diplomacy and gene editing, career-focused events on science policy fellowships and career paths, and Science Policy 101. Over a dozen students completed the certificate series in full and were awarded a Certificate in Science Policy by SPAG and TIBBS, along with a small gift. Some of these events were recorded and are available on our YouTube channel.

Two of our teams published policy memos in the Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG)-APS FPS Special Issue: Policy and Governance on Science, Technology and Global Security in 2023! Check them out here:

• Climate Change, Food System Resilience, and Global Security: Reforming US Farm Subsidies to Incentivize Regenerative Agriculture Practices by Elissavet Chartampila, Nicole LePetri, Sarah Rothstein
• Qualify AI Drug Discovery Tools Through FDA ISTAND Program to Model Responsible Drug Discovery AI and Mitigate Dual Use Concerns by Rachel Cherney, Rami Major, Tara Fitzpatrick

2021-2022

Two of our teams published policy memos in the Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG)-UCL STEaPP Special Issue: Innovations In Science Diplomacy in 2022! Check them out here:

• Advance U.S. International Diplomacy Efforts by Expanding Eligibility in the Embassy Science Fellows Program by Rami Major, JP Flores, Rachel Cherney
  • Paper Competition 2nd Place Winner!
• Democratizing Sustainable Energy Technology through Collaborative International Spaces by R. Jarrett Bliton, Rosa I. Cuppari, Kirsten B. Giesbrecht, Allison M. Smith

Former SPAG Presidents David Gorelick and Becca Van Hoeck began science policy fellowships! David Gorelick, PhD began work as a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the US Department of State, and Becca Van Hoeck, PhD began work as a John. A Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.