May 24th 2023 | 4pm-5pm

Scientists and Engineers in State Governments

Moderator:
Jamey Wetmore, Associate Professor at Arizona State University, is the Associate Director of the NNCI
for Societal and Ethical Implications.

Panelists:
Moriah Locklear, Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Nebraska, is a Federal Research
Engagement Manager at Arizona State University in Washington, DC.
Stephanie Mitchell, Ph.D. in chemical biology from the University of Minnesota, is a CCST Science Policy
Fellow working with the California Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife.
Sawyer Morgan, Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Washington, is a research scientist
at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities community solar program.
Jacob O’Connor, Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Washington, is an Assistant Consultant with
the California Senate Committee on Transportation.

Over the past few decades state governments have found that they increasingly need more science and
engineering knowledge to inform their decisions. In an effort to assist in this process a number of states
have developed fellowship programs that bring Ph.D. scientists and engineers to work directly with state
officials, lawmakers, and their staffs. A number of former graduate students who participated in the
NNCI’s Science Outside the Lab (SOtL) program have gone on to work with state governments to tackle
complex policy problems. This panel will bring together four SOtL alums to discuss their experiences
bridging science and policymaking in state governments. The panelists will explore the relationship
between science and public policy and discuss how they were able to contribute to laws and decisions
that impact millions of people.

Access the event: bit.ly/May24-NNCI