When it comes to science policy issues in Canada, there are plenty of perspectives to consider. A key demographic is graduate students and post-doctoral fellows; unfortunately, their voices often go unheard. With this in mind, the Montreal-based student group Science & Policy Exchange (SPE; or Dialogue Sciences & Politiques) is focusing on bringing student voices to the science policy table.
Established in 2009, SPE is a non-profit, bilingual science advocacy group led by graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. SPE aims to promote student voices in evidence-based decision-making by bringing together students, experts, and the public to discuss issues critical to science and policy, as well as providing training opportunities to those new to science policy. The core team consists of around ten executives, with a broader group of student volunteers driving SPE’s efforts and making its initiatives a reality.
So what does student-led science advocacy involve?
In an interview with Science Borealis in the summer of 2018, Shawn McGuirk and Vanessa Sung, SPE co-presidents at the time, said that SPE practices science advocacy through a combination of events and initiatives, including student consultations, science policy cafes, and public forums.