Policy engagement support for mid-career ecologists: share your views
We offer our members many opportunities for personal and professional development.
Following the fantastically attended BES/CCI conference on ‘Making a Difference in Conservation: Improving the Links between Ecological Research, Policy and Practice’, we felt a hunger from ecologists for policy engagement.
We already offer a range of opportunities to engage with policy. However, we would like to develop an award or fellowship program for mid-career level ecologists, with the aim of supporting and recognising their engagement with policy. Mid-career ecologists must have between 5 and 15 years research experience after receiving their PhD.
Currently the program could involve some of the following components:
- Co-produced research with Government agency/NGO
- Part-time placement with Government agency/NGO
- An open application option
- A grant or stipend
With the potential to have some of the following outputs:
- Co-produced report with the government and/or government agency
- Amend or create policy
- Evidence is used to change practice
- Establish or improve a framework or monitoring scheme
- Evidence from research is used in industry/by government agency/by NGO
- Direct face to face contact with policy makers
- Increased networking between stakeholders and the government
- Facilitation of dialogue between stakeholders and the government
- Researchers develop skills to engage more with policy
- Creation of science into policy guides (i.e. for international organizations or other scales)
- Publish a policy relevant peer-review paper (i.e. Policy Directions in the Journal of Applied Ecology)
We value your feedback and ideas, and would welcome input from members to help shape the program.
We want to design an award program that will meet the needs of aspiring mid-career ecologists but also fit with their existing responsibilities. As some variants of the award have the potential to require a substantial time commitment from the participant, we would like to consult potential participants about the type of support required to participate, what would enable participation and their desired outcomes of the program. The consultation is also an opportunity for you to ask us questions.
If you are interested in this project and would like to share your views or suggestions please contact Rebecca Robertson – Policy Intern.
Like what we stand for?
Support our mission and help develop the next generation of ecologists by donating to the British Ecological Society.