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The individuals and organizations whose job is to research, coordinate, influence, create, and disseminate science policy toil in a variety of settings: academia, think tanks, government agencies, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Their contributions make a difference in how we think about issues, society, and the world around us.

Thinking about making the move to science policy? You can jump right in and apply directly to one of the many policy organizations. Alternatively, you can apply for a fellowship, or you can go back to school for more specific training. We--Next Wave editors, feature contributors, and individuals working in the field--have collaborated to pull together a list of resources for the policy neophyte.

If this month's feature has piqued your interest but you'd like to know more about science policy, you might want to turn first to Next Wave's earlier features on Scientist Advocates [2] and Policy Wonks [3]. Alternatively, go directly to the (nonexhaustive) list below for links to programs and fellowship opportunities. As always, if you find something good that we have missed, please let us know [4]!

Academia

Canada

Simon Fraser University Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology [5]

Dalhousie University Health, Law, and Policy Training Forum [6]

UK

University of Sussex Science and Technology Policy Research Unit [7]

US

Columbia University Center for Science, Policy, and Outcomes [8]

George Washington University Center for International Science and Technology Policy [9]

Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies [10]

Stanford University Center for Environmental Science and Policy [11]

University of California at Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management [12]

University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy [13]

University of Minnesota Joint Degree Program in Law, Health, and the Life Sciences [14]

University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center [15]

Science Policy Fellowships and Internships

Canada

CIHR Policy Research Initiative [16] .

UK

The Royal Society's MP-Scientist pairing scheme [17].

US

Science-policy fellowships are offered through many professional societies, including the American Chemical Society [18] and the American Institute of Physics [19]. In all likelihood, a fellowship exists in an area that suits you. In addition, AAAS Science Policy Fellowships [20] provide scientists of all stripes the opportunity to work either in Congress or in the diplomatic corps at the Agency for International Development (USAID), the State Department, or the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). AAAS, publisher of Science and Science's Next Wave, also offers specific agency fellowships at NIH, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the RAND Corporation, and elsewhere.

The National Academies of Science and Engineering offer the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Internship [21] to engage graduate science, engineering, medical, veterinary, business, and law students in the analysis and creation of science and technology policy and to familiarize them with the interactions of science, technology, and government.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management started its Presidential Management Internship [22] in 1977, as a training program for those interested in pursuing a career in the analysis and management of public policy programs in the U.S. government.

To learn more about how to find a fellowship and the experience of being a science-policy fellow, sample these articles on policy fellowships that have been published on Next Wave:

Insider's Guide to Science Fellowships for Scientists and Engineers [23]

Review of InternshipsPrograms.com Web site [24]

From Ph.D. to Policy Wonk: AAAS Science and Technology Fellowships [25]

The Christine Mirzayan Internship at the National Academies [26]

Insider's Guide to Science Fellowships for Scientists and Engineers [23]

Time Out: Science Policy Training Can Improve Mentoring [27]

The Road Taken to Science Policy [28]

Where to Now? Governmental Agencies, Think Tanks, and NGOs

For quick, user-friendly international leads to key science-policy resources, search the BUBL Information Service [29].

Australia

Institution of Engineers, Australia (IE,Aust) Policy Unit [30].

Japan

Science and Technology Knowledge Platform [31] supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

Canada

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [32]

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Health Services and Policy Research [33]

CIHR is a sponsor of Next Wave Canada

Europe

Council of Europe's Steering Committee on Bioethics [34]

European Science Foundation [35]

ESF is a sponsor of Next Wave Europe

European Union [36]

Various Ministries of Health [37]

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [38] (OECD)

UNESCO [39]

World Health Organization [40]

Germany

Ministry of Health and Social Security [41]

Robert-Koch-Institute [42]

Chamber of Surgeons [43]

The Netherlands

The General Energy Council [44] (AER)advises on energy policy, especially on strategic problems. Recent reports include policy advisories on energy research, on security of supply, on government roles in liberalised energymarkets and on post-Kyoto energy policy.

The Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy [45] (AWT) advises the Government and the Parliament on the science and technology policy to be pursued nationally and internationally, and on information policy in the science and technology fields. The Council also carries out foresight studies in the field of science and technology.

Onderwijsraad [46] (Council for Education) advises on strategic matters and law in the field of education.

Social and Economic Council [47] (SER) is the main advisory body of the Dutch government on national and international social and economic policy. Being independent from the government and financed by industry, the SER may give advice, solicited or unsolicited, on all major social and economic affairs.

Wetenschappelijke Raad voor het Regeringsbeleid [48] (WRR) (The Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy) especially concentrates on developments that will affect society in the longer term. Policy areas like health care, transport and communications, education call for decisions that will determine the shape of society for decades to come. Such decisions require a well-balanced picture of the future.

The Health Council of the Netherlands ( Gezondheidsraad [49]) is an independent advisory body whose task is to advise Ministers and Parliament in the field of public health.

The Advisory Council on Health Research ( Raad voor Gezondheidsonderzoek [50], RGO), established in 1987, advises the government, especially the ministry of Health, the ministry of Education and Science, and the ministry of Economic Affairs, on matters relating to health research, health services research and the infrastructure of such research.

The Wadden Advisory Council [51] (WAC) was instituted by the government in 1982. The council's task is to provide the authorities with advice on the most important nature reserve in the Netherlands: the Wadden region. The WAC advises on matters of general importance to the Wadden region such as gas drilling, governing and administrating the region, hikes across the Wadden mud flats, fishing, (water)recreation, sand extraction, fishing for shellfish, shipping, information and education.

UK

The big scientific institutions, such as the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Physics, all employ teams of people to deal with their policy making and interactions with the political arena. Many of them are members of networking group PolicyNet [52]. Members of Parliament (MPs) and peers with interests in science tend to employ researchers who share those interests, and both Houses of Parliament have library staff that help prepare scientific briefings.

Health Equity Network [53]

House of Commons [54] and House of Lords [55] select committees.

Office of Science and Technology [56]

Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology [57]

Parliamentary and Scientific Committee [58]

The Post-graduate Forum for Genetics and Society [59]

Save British Science [60]

The Wellcome Trust Policy Unit [61].

US

AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Government [62]

Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government [63]

Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy [64] (coalition of biomedical research societies)

National Institutes of Health Office of Science Policy and Communications [65]

National Science Foundation Office of Legislative and Public Affairs [66]

Office of Science and Technology Policy [67]

RAND Science and Technology Institute [68]