Communicating with Policymakers: Becoming a Science Resource

The document advises scientists on how to become valuable assets to congressional aides, who often lack deep subject matter expertise and rely on brief summaries. It suggests targeting junior legislators or those on relevant committees, initiating contact via email or letter, and maintaining a supportive relationship by providing concise updates on scientific developments without overwhelming the staff.

• Congressional aides often manage broad portfolios like environment or agriculture with limited formal education in those subjects, making them dependent on short briefs and external experts.
• Scientists can offer their expertise to representatives or senators individually or by forming resource groups with other experts from their institution.
• When selecting a target legislator, scientists should prioritize those with whom they have a personal connection, those serving on relevant committees, or junior legislators who are more likely to be resource-constrained.
• The recommended process for establishing contact involves identifying the specific legislative assistant, sending a formal letter of interest, and following up by phone after ten days.
• Effective communication with aides requires keeping them informed of important scientific developments while remaining mindful of their workload to avoid overwhelming them.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2008). Communicating with Policymakers: Becoming a Science Resource. https://www.ucs.org/resources/communicating-policymakers-becoming-science-resource

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Communicating with Policymakers: Becoming a Science Resource. 2008. https://www.ucs.org/resources/communicating-policymakers-becoming-science-resource.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Communicating with Policymakers: Becoming a Science Resource |date=21 July 2008 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/communicating-policymakers-becoming-science-resource |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2008communicating, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Communicating with Policymakers: Becoming a Science Resource}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2008}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/communicating-policymakers-becoming-science-resource}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }