By Jacob Snyder, PhD Student, Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Note: This is a guest blog post; it represents the views of the author alone and not the American Meteorological Society or the AMS Policy Program. The Science Policy Colloquium is non-partisan and non-prescriptive, and promotes understanding of the policy process, not any particular viewpoint(s).
“No water, no life. No blue, no green.” In 2020 — the first year of my undergraduate at Penn State — I met Dr. Sylvia Alice Earle, a trailblazing oceanographer and former chief scientist of NOAA. After hearing her words and learning the breadth of what she accomplished while working at the interface of science, policy, and community, I was inspired to begin my journey as a marine scientist. Since then, my experiences in ocean research and LGBTQIA+ advocacy have continued to inspire my long-term goal of collaborating with policymakers and historically overburdened communities to co-produce inclusive ocean management. Now, as a first-year PhD student in Marine Biology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, I seek ways to further the impact of my science and advocacy through policy. The 2024 AMS Science Policy Colloquium provided the necessary training to begin my deep dive into the political realm.
Diving Deeper
This year’s Colloquium brought together graduate students, university faculty, private-sector workers, and federal managers to learn about the structure of the U.S. government and how to integrate science into the legislative process. We heard from speakers working at the science-policy interface, and many of their words resonated with me, but two statements really shaped my perspective of policy: (1) all politics is local and (2) carry your most authentic self into your work.
The Colloquium began with an impactful overview of science policy. Our opening speaker commented that “all politics is local,” emphasizing the power of the community — and individual — in implementing widespread change if they can access avenues to inform policy decisions. I know that such avenues are essential for ocean policy: the most valuable knowledge for political officials discussing ocean-related legislation comes from communities and individuals who form intimate relationships with the environment, such as cultural practitioners, land stewards, and scientists.
As a scientist, this has encouraged me to think about how to translate my research into deliverables that are relevant to both the community and the legislature, especially since my dissertation focuses on a local scale. My research centers on building a model to predict the effect of sediment runoff and herbivorous fish community composition on coral reef ecosystem resilience. Investigating the local stressor of sedimentation, and using those findings to inform policy decisions, can provide pathways to improve the resilience of ocean ecosystems in the near-term, as we continue to tackle long-term global threats, such as ocean warming and acidification.
Not only did I learn about the power of scientists to inform legislation, but I also learned about the need for scientists to be legislators themselves. Out of 535 Members of the 118th Congress, there are only five scientists and nine engineers. This lack of representation means there is a dire need for scientists to bring both their science and their selves into the legislature.
This truth was also highlighted by another speaker who urged us to carry our authentic selves into our work. Throughout the week, some of the most valuable lessons I gained were from personal conversations with fellow Colloquium participants, during which we talked about them as researchers, not just their research. Learning alongside my peers and collaborating with them for our mock legislative exercise emphasized that the broader the diversity of life and thought actively engaged in decision-making processes, the more effective solutions can be.
I also gleaned this at my undergraduate institution, the Pennsylvania State University, while collaborating with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups to promote students’ rights to live healthily and authentically. The community I discovered through Queer and Trans+ advocacy helped me realize my inherent worth as a Queer person, which has allowed me to confidently enter spaces that historically overlook me, such as STEM and policy. I have also been fortunate to have STEM mentors from overburdened communities who are shining examples of carrying yourself into your work. When I enter marine science spaces, I bring with me all of my peers and mentors who have built me up in my Queerness. Now, I intend to bring myself, them, and my science into the legislature.
Changing the Tides
Throughout my brief career in marine science, I have been regularly reminded of the wide-reaching detrimental impact of humans on the ocean. Coral reefs blanketed in sediment, historic records of fisheries crashes, plastic debris floating past my research vessel in the remote Pacific Ocean — 1,000 miles from the nearest population center. This is a testament to the need for a radical shift in our relationship with the ocean — a change achievable through community and policy. The 2024 AMS Science Policy Colloquium reminded me that I — a young, Queer scientist just beginning their policy journey — can be a part of this change.
Thank You
I am very grateful for Dr. Paul Higgins, Emma Tipton, and Isabella Herrera for coordinating my transformative experience at the 2024 AMS Science Policy Colloquium. Also a huge thank you to Dr. Mariana Rocha de Souza for introducing me to this opportunity and guiding me throughout the application process, and to my lab, Dr. Lisa C. McManus’ Marine Ecological Theory Lab, for their support!
Featured image: Jacob Snyder in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. Photo credit: Joseph Rotondo.
About the AMS Science Policy Colloquium
The AMS Science Policy Colloquium is an intensive and non-partisan introduction to the United States federal policy process for scientists and practitioners. Participants meet with congressional staff, officials from the executive office of the President, and leaders from executive branch agencies. They learn first-hand about the interplay of policy, politics, and procedure through legislative exercises. Alumni of this career-shaping experience have gone on to serve in crucial roles for the nation and the scientific community including the highest levels of leadership in the National Weather Service, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), and AMS itself.