What Scientists Get Wrong About Congress

When I began as a scientist-turned-Senate staffer 20 years ago, I momentarily thought the “R&D” my new colleagues mentioned had to do with research and development. Minutes later, I realized they meant Republicans and Democrats, but that moment told me everything I needed to know: I was in a new world, with new rules.

Since then, I’ve spent two decades moving between academia and the Hill—under both Republican and Democratic majorities—with one goal: helping science inform policy. But I’ve also seen why many well-meaning efforts by scientists fall flat.

The truth? Policymaking doesn’t work the way most scientists think it does. And the real gatekeepers aren’t always who you think.

I’ve written a new piece for Issues in Science and Technology that distills what I’ve learned from both first-hand experience and my research interviewing senior congressional staffers about how scientific information is actually received, filtered, and (sometimes) used on Capitol Hill.

A few surprising takeaways:

• Not one staffer said they’d turn to scientists first when facing a science-related question.

• Party leadership, lobbyists, and trusted friends-of-friends often have more influence than peer-reviewed studies.

• Scientists are unintentionally sidelining themselves by only engaging with one side of the aisle.

If you care about science shaping real policy outcomes, the article lays out what it really takes to be heard—and how scientists can start showing up more effectively.

👉 [Read it here]