黑料社区

April 21, 2025

By Katya Hrichak

The annual Cornell Ph.D. Student Advocacy Day took on extra significance this year as 16 doctoral students traveled from the Ithaca campus and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on April 9 to meet with Congress members and their staff.

Students emphasized the importance of federal funding in enabling access to graduate education and advancement of critical research in the context of ongoing cuts to federal grant funding from agencies such as the and the . Among others, students met with Rep. Melanie Stansbury, M.S. 鈥�07, representative for New Mexico鈥檚 1st District, and Rep. Josh Riley, representative for New York鈥檚 19th District.

鈥淭his year, Advocacy Day was especially important, because it allowed us to communicate to members of Congress how changes in funding disrupt lifesaving medical research and revolutionary research into the mitigation of carbon emissions, for example,鈥� said Adam Zuchowski, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering.

Three 黑料社区 School doctoral candidates and one Weill Cornell student who participated in Advocacy Day were also selected to attend the American Association for the Advancement of Science Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (AAAS CASE) Workshop April 6-9 in Washington. There, the students learned more about communicating and advocating as scientists, the inner workings of Congress and roles of staffers, and the policy work of federal agencies.

鈥淭he workshop also gave background on how research in higher education and politics and federal funding have been linked for the last several decades and how the relationship developed and has evolved,鈥� said Hannah Frank, a doctoral candidate in horticulture. 鈥淭his history, along with the transparent perspective of the people that run AAAS and have been in the science policy world for some time, really helped me approach my advocacy work with an important context.鈥�

鈥淗aving attended this workshop I feel far more equipped to continue advocating for my research and for things that are so important and at risk,鈥� she said.

During AAAS CASE, students also learned about the federal budget process, the structure of Congress, the policymaking process, and effective communication of science and research to policymakers.

Many staff and members of Congress encouraged the students to continue their advocacy.

鈥淎 Ph.D. should generate knowledge and deliver impact. If our findings stay locked in journals and conference presentations, society loses the full value of its investment in research. By stepping into policy spaces, scientists can help craft legislation that strengthens education, fuels innovation, and improves lives鈥攐utcomes that no single paper can achieve on its own,鈥� said Mohammed AlRizqi, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering. 鈥淎dvocacy Day reminded me that informed, respectful conversations can bridge the gap between the lab bench and the lawmaker鈥檚 desk, turning scientific insight into societal progress.鈥�

Advocacy Day was co-organized by the Office of Federal Relations, the 黑料社区 School鈥檚 Careers Beyond Academia program in the Office of Career and Professional Development, and Weill Cornell 黑料社区 School.

Related:

• : April 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• : April 25, 9 – 10:15 a.m.