Q&A: Student Explores Science and Politics in Washington, D.C.

University Hawaii in Manoa Hawaii Institute of Biology (HE) PhD student Jacob Snyder researched the intersection of science and policy at the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Summer Policy Colloquium in Washington, D.C. in June. Snyder shared his experiences with UH community.

Snyder, who is also a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, was one of 40 young and mid-career Earth and atmospheric scientists and professionals from academia, government and the private sector selected to participate in the project.

Why did you apply for 2024? AMS Summer political colloquium?

At Penn State I worked with others LGBTQIA+ students to translate the needs of our community into institutional change. These experiences inspired me to seek opportunities to translate my learning into widespread change, such as that achievable through policy.

Can you describe your impressions of the colloquium?

My experience in AMS The Summer Policy Colloquium was eye-opening. We heard from speakers working at the intersection of science and policy about the structure of the US government and how to effectively integrate science into the legislative process. As I learned alongside my peers and collaborated with them on a mock legislative exercise, I was inspired by their stories and can’t wait to follow their work!

What were the key takeaways?

Bring your most authentic self to your work. As a queer academic, I intend to use my new training in politics to implement my enthusiasm for LGBTQIA+ advocacy and learning in the political sphere. The greater the diversity of life and thought actively engaged in decision-making processes, the more widely the solutions will be applied. Diverse national leadership is required to address the problems of the future.

More information can be found here HEWebsite.