Baala Shakya Staff Photographer

On March 10, 21 Yale students will travel to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staffers and discuss their research in STEM areas.

The group, some of whom have no prior background in policy, is divided into three teams: quantum, energy and space. Over the course of three days, students will meet with members of Congress and their staffers, briefing them on important research and policy concerns, and advocating for specific policies and legislation that they would like to see Congress enact.

“It has been exciting to see such an interdisciplinary group of STEM and non-STEM undergraduate, graduate and professional school students come together who are eager to share their research interests as well as develop valuable professional connections for the future,” said Maxwell Zhu JGA ’26, who is a student lead and had the initial idea to create the event. 

According to Zhu, the group is made up of students from Yale College and four graduate schools — the Jackson School, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of the Environment and the School of Public Health.

Since early in the fall 2024 semester, they have organized workshops, guest speakers, career talks and networking events to prepare for the trip. In preparation for the event, the students set up meetings with their representatives and senators. 

Julia Levy ’25, staff reporter for the News and a member of the space policy team, explained that Zhu created the program to promote discussion about science policy initiatives at the Jackson School. She highlighted the group’s diversity and range of experiences in research and policy across different fields.

“What really struck me, and what was really striking about this program, is that it was specifically tailored for those who have never had policy experience, or on the flip side, for those with policy experience who never advocated for science initiatives,” Levy said.

She noted that she was especially excited to speak to Congress about issues in science policy that directly affect her research. For instance, some of the telescopic surveys used for astrophysics research on a day-to-day basis are mainly funded by the government. If the government decreases funding, the scope of research shrinks.

Each of the three teams has been working over the past months to identify issues and policies that affect their fields and develop pitches to present to members of Congress.

“For our space team, with six members, we focus on two initiatives that we’re going to approach Congress with,” Levy said. 

One policy ask this year is asking Congress members to support the upcoming NASA Reappropriations Act to ensure NASA and the National Science Foundation will continue to have adequate funding. Many of these initiatives are currently frozen, according to Levy. The space policy team is using data sourced from the NSF and NASA, to support their policy ask.

Another policy ask, proposed by the group’s international students, is to continue the robust international collaboration between the United States and other groups on space exploration and astronomical surveys. Levy explained that some space research initiatives, such as certain surveys and large field telescopes, as well as the International Space Station, are only possible through extensive international collaboration.

“I am heartened that they are so committed to utilizing their science, technology, and policy expertise to learn how they can help develop solutions for some of the principal global challenges of our time,” wrote Ted Wittenstein ’04 LAW ’12, a faculty advisor for the program.

In preparation for the event, the students have attended workshops with guest speakers and faculty members to understand how Congress operates, and how to effectively advocate for policy. 

In particular, they learned about some of the problems with science communication and the disconnect between science researchers and policy members.

“A lot of these Congress members don’t interact with the science community,” said Levy. “So how do you communicate your research at a high technical level for those who don’t regularly see science every day?”

When Emma Louden GRD ’26, a student lead, visited Capitol Hill in the past, she became a resource for particular offices in Congress. Offices reached out to her multiple years later to ask specific questions relating to research in her field. 

Levy hopes that Congress members will continue to contact the students they will meet during STEM Day, who will continue to inform future policy.

“I think the biggest impact that we’ll continue to have past Hill day is better informing Congress members on policies directly relating to our research and continue to be a resource for particular offices,” Levy said. “If I could continue to be an asset to the members of Congress that represent my state, and my district, that would be the best outcome in the world.”

In the future, organizers plan to make STEM Hill Day an annual program and incorporate new policy teams, expanding to five next year.

Yale STEM Hill Day is supported by the Jackson School, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of the Environment.