This blog is written by Louisa Brotherson, a PhD researcher at the University of Liverpool. Louisa’s research brings together laboratory experiments and seismology to better understand earthquakes. Wanting to experience life outside academia, Louisa did a three-month UKRI science policy internship at The Royal Society. Contact her on Twitter @louisa_geo.
I have always had a fascination with how the Earth works, and have been obsessed with earthquakes and natural hazards from a young age. To combine my need to better understand our planet with my love of maths, I decided to do an integrated Masters’ degree in Geophysical Sciences at the University of Leeds. During my third year abroad at Western University, Canada, and following a Research In Science and Engineering (RISE) placement at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, I became interested in seismic hazard analysis, and I am now in my third year of a PhD at the University of Liverpool in seismology and rock deformation.
My research brings together seismology and laboratory experiments that simulate fault behaviour in the uppermost part of the planet. I create tiny earthquakes in the lab (known as stick-slips and acoustic emissions) and measure their properties. Laboratory experiments are useful in quantifying the properties that control the frequency and magnitude of an earthquake. Reducing uncertainty in these source properties is important, because they are used to predict peak ground motion during an earthquake by several industries, including insurance and civil engineering.
In 2021, having spent the last seven years in education and wanting to have more experience of career paths outside of academia, I decided to apply for the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Science Policy Internship scheme. The scheme matches PhD students with host partners inside and outside government, and aims to show how research can inform policy making. I successfully gained a position at The Royal Society, one of the oldest scientific academies in the world.
The Royal Society’s mission is to promote science “for the benefit of humanity.” The science policy team provides advice for the UK Government and other organisations, aiding decision makers by translating scientific research. Independent from both the Government and industry, the Society is governed by renowned scientists (Fellows of the Royal Society, or FRS) who guide the organisation’s strategy and project work. Past fellows include Isaac Newton, Dorothy Hodgkin, Stephen Hawking and currently include James Dyson, Brian Cox and Professor of Palaeoclimatology Dame Jane Francis.
Within the science policy team, there are five main teams that focus on five different areas of research: Education, Resilient Futures, Wellbeing, Data, and Research and Innovation. I worked with the two latter teams on a variety of project work, from Covid-19 response to the Home Office’s Global Talent Visa. Having little to no experience of the policy world, I was both excited and nervous to face new challenges and learn about how science policy works. However, my experience as a geoscience PhD student had equipped me with many of the skills needed to thrive in this unfamiliar work environment, making my time at the Royal Society enjoyable and educational.
As a PhD student, research forms the backbone of my work. From seeking details in academic papers to interpreting graphs and maps during academic talks, I am constantly analysing information. These research skills are invaluable in science policy: a key part of my role at the Royal Society was to gather evidence for a project on digital technology and information. Interviewing a Professor of Internet Law, I took notes of the discussion, translating their expertise to a more policy-friendly format so that non-specialists could understand. I also facilitated an online roundtable on the common features of scientific misinformation, covering issues such as 5G, vaccinations and climate change. Collating responses from around 20 experts was difficult, especially because the event was held on Zoom which brought several technical difficulties. However, by working together as a team to problem solve and share evidence collection duties, we managed to run a successful event. My research skills, in combination with new skills such as event management, enabled me to achieve more that I thought I could achieve during the placement.
Science communication is an important skill in science policy. A Policy Advisor is a translator. They are a generalist but can become a subject expert in a short amount of time, making them key in the transformation of scientific findings to government policy and decisions. Since the start of my PhD, I have shared my science to a broad range of people, from young children on a scary science stall at a museum, to experts in rock deformation and seismology at academic conferences. These experiences really helped me coming into the policy placement, as I constantly needed to share scientific information back and forth from scientists to policymakers who have very different levels of science and political literacy. For example, I was tasked with consulting academic experts for one of UKRI’s research councils, prior to them making a new bid. Gathering the experts’ comments and ideas, I presented their findings so that a non-specialist could understand. I omitted particularly technical aspects and made them more concise. Having the opportunity to influence change at research council level was incredibly rewarding; I discovered so much about how research funding works, the bidding process, and what drives decision makers to fund science. This will no doubt have an impact as I continue my PhD and beyond.
From my three months with the Royal Society, I learned that science policy is dynamic, exciting and fulfilling. As the head of science policy often stated during my time there, good science policy aims to fix “market failures”. If the market (current science policy) is working fine, there is no need to intervene. But if the market is failing, something (i.e., new science policy) is needed to solve the problem. Not only did I learn how good science policy is made, but I gained new knowledge, skills and confidence that I have taken back with me into academia. While I was only able to meet my team virtually as my placement was entirely online, they were lovely and incredible to work with. I would recommend getting involved in science policy internships to any PhD researcher, even if you are not considering a career in policy. The opportunity enhances your research skills and understanding of the research landscape nationally and internationally.
Following my time at the Royal Society, I am actively considering a career in science policy, as it combines my love of science and research with decision making. Geoscientists are well-equipped with the transferable skills and knowledge needed to tackle a range of scientific issues. Whether you decide you want to become a generalist or a subject specialist, having a geoscience PhD is incredibly useful for a wide range of careers. For anyone thinking about making the jump from PhD to policy, I say go for it – you are more than equipped to thrive, with many in science policy coming from an academic background with a PhD!