Being a native Washingtonian and seeing the city go through its many phases has had an impact. It has definitely shaped my views on what’s real in politics and what’s just pure entertainment (although some don’t know the difference…shame). Knowing such differences and being a scientific researcher has made me want to merge the two fields. I am driven by good science that has a positive impact on society, but also how the government views science and scientists, and how this shapes funding opportunities. I had the honor of being awarded honorable mention for the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award 2015 (Press Release). This was a collaborative weekend shared with the Ecological Society of America (ESA) for the Biological and Ecological Science Coalition’s (BESC) Congressional Visits Day. We, graduate and postdoctoral students, lobbied our current representatives to recognize what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to funding STEM researchers and programs. We shared personal stories about how certain legislations helped or hindered scientific research in our state and nationwide. I had the opportunity to be teamed with students from New York and New Jersey. With our CT, NY, NJ team we headed to 12 offices to preach the good word (smile). It was an exhilaratingly exhausting day of meetings. We also had states that were very receptive to our messages, as we heard at the end of the day that some of the southern states were not open to talking about funding science initiatives. As I sit and reflect, I know this intersection between science and policy is where I want to be.
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Hi, I'm Tanisha-- a lover of travel, culture, science (botany), Toby the polydactyl cat, Chariot the two legged cat, Caleb the sweet dog, watching instructional YouTube videos and vegetarian foods. I am from Washington, DC, and thus have a love of politics as well. I've studied environmental science and some science policy in Pennsylvania, California and South America. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in Connecticut. I have recently returned from my #Fulbright year abroad. Follow along with me as I share memories from South Africa, and discover botany, life, good food, and other experiences with a view! Archives
July 2018
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Botany With A View