Policy placements

The call for applications is closed

Next application deadline: 2012 TBC

A 3-month placement opportunity for BBSRC-funded PhD students to gain experience of working in science policy.

Placements are available at:

British Library
Centre for Science and Policy
Government Office for Science
National Assembly for Wales Research Service
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
The Royal Society Science Policy Centre
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre
Society of Biology

During their placement successful applicants will work on an area of science policy by contributing to one or more of the following activities:

Producing a policy briefing or contributing to a longer report
Participating in a policy inquiry
Assisting with the organisation of a science policy event/workshop
And/or other related activities

Number of awards

Up to 14 placements are available this round.

Successful applicants will receive a 3-month extension to their PhD funding as well as travel and accommodation costs for those who live outside reasonable commuting distance.

Eligibility

Open to all BBSRC-funded postgraduate students registered for a PhD, who will be engaged in their penultimate or final funded year of study during the 2011-12 academic year.

How to apply

The call for applications is closed.

Assessment

Applications will be assessed by a panel consisting of members of each of the host organisations, plus BBSRC.

Assessment is via a two-stage process:

Written applications: Applicants who are successful at this stage will then be invited to stage two
Interview day: Took place on 24 November 2011

Case study

Ellen Colebrook

Ellen Colebrook, a PhD student at BBSRC's John Innes Centre, recently completed a 3-month secondment to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) - UK Parliament's in-house source of independent analyses of public policy issues related to science and technology.

Working alongside the secretariat of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee, Ellen had a unique opportunity to gain experience of a broad range of policy issues - including providing questions and briefing for Science Question Time with the Minister for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson.

"This placement has given me invaluable insight into how science policy is formed and scrutinised," says Colebrook. "Working to short deadlines in a small team was a real change from the more independent research environment, and I feel I really learnt from that experience".

Further details on Ellen's placement are in a recent article 'Science in Parliament' in The Biochemist (see downloads section.)

Contact

policy.placements@bbsrc.ac.uk
tel: 01793 411726