As a chemical engineering student at Rice University, I am often met with confused or even disapproving looks from my classmates and friends when I tell them that I’m interning at the Baker Institute. The perception seems to be that I’m supposed to be on an oil rig, working at ExxonMobil or doing some other work clearly related to my major. If I’m not in training to become the next oil executive, what’s the point of being a chemical engineer? And if I’m interested in policy, why aren’t I political science major?
Even though I’ve loved science for as long as I remember, I also have a passion for politics and public policy. For a long time, I thought I would have to decide between the two. But with a chemical engineering degree, my options after graduation are quite broad: I can go straight into industry or go to graduate school, law school or medical school. Personally, I plan to try to eventually use my chemical engineering degree in a somewhat unorthodox way — by applying it to public policy.
A great deal of science and technology legislation going through Congress today is very technical. Few politicians have expertise in these areas. As a result, policy that makes little scientific sense is being passed into law. We need people in Washington who understand more than just politics. I believe that many of the problems our nation faces today — for example, our seemingly insurmountable deficit — are caused in part because many of the people in charge are forced to make decisions outside their area of expertise. Given the intricacy and technicality of policy, especially science policy, politicians could definitely use some help to make more effective decisions.
While I’m still figuring out exactly how I will use my engineering degree to affect policy, my internship here at the Baker Institute’s Science and Technology Policy Program has helped point me in the right direction. I believe that there is a need for more people willing to cross traditional disciplinary borders and career trajectories in order to create new types of “experts” who engage the public in new and interesting ways. The institute’s Civic Scientist Program supports this cross-disciplinary engagement by encouraging scientists and engineers to become involved in public service, while also reaching out to show students how science and math education can be used beyond the classroom or lab. Students shouldn’t be forced to choose between seemingly “incompatible” interests, but should be encouraged to combine those interests to become more fulfilled and engaged professionals who are passionate about what they do.
Devon Rule is an intern for the Baker Institute Science and Technology Policy Program working under the supervision of Baker Institute science and technology fellow Kirstin Matthews, Ph.D. Rule is majoring in chemical engineering and plans to graduate in 2014.