Rice offers new Professional Master’s program in bioscience research and health policy

BY DAGMAR BECK
Special to Rice News

The Wiess School of Natural Sciences has added a new professional master’s track — bioscience research and health policy — to its existing master’s programs of environmental analysis and decision-making, nanoscale physics and subsurface geoscience.

Aimed at producing “well-trained health-policy professionals interested in seeking solutions to problems affecting human health,” the program will provide students with advanced science, writing, research, and analytical and communication skills needed for work in bioscientific research, public health, health care systems and health-related industries.

A collaborative, interdisciplinary program with not only the Baker Institute for Public Policy and the School of Social Sciences but also the Texas Medical Center, the
bioscience research and health policy track will give students a background in biological sciences complemented by courses in sociology, economics and policy studies to foster their understanding of the role of science in policymaking and the role of public policy in science. Students will become knowledgeable about how public policy is formulated and executed so they can be better science advocates and policy scholars. In addition to track courses, students will take an overview course in science policy and ethics, a management course and a seminar jointly with the students involved in the other tracks. Access to the Baker Institute will allow students to work closely with policy scholars and to meet with many of the leaders in science and technology policy.

”Science impacts public policy in all important areas and is directly impacted by policies created at the local, state and national levels,” said Neal Lane, senior fellow in science technology and policy at the Baker Institute and the Malcolm Gillis University Professor. “Funding and regulation of science, technology, engineering and math education have a major influence on the quality of the science and engineering workforce. Science is also critically needed to inform policies in areas such as energy and climate change, threats to the environment, and dealing with biological pandemics, to name a few. Sound policymaking depends on the policymakers having access to current understanding of science and technology. Thus, graduates from this program who understand science and technology are vital to the policymaking process at all levels in government. While scientists are often called upon to testify at hearings, that is no substitute for having technically competent staff and officials who interact with the creation of policies daily. Since government policies influence the business world, companies will need graduates from this program who understand the technical issues as well as the policymaking process.”

For more information on the Professional Science Master’s Program, visit www.profms.rice.edu.

–Dagmar Beck is director of the Professional Science Master’s Program in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences.