Graduate Certificate Program

Science, Technology and Engineering in Policy (STEP)

The STEP program offers a 12-credit graduate certificate and four core graduate-level courses primarily targeted towards STEM-H students but open to all.   The program also encompasses opportunities for the wider campus community (and beyond) through our annual spring seminar series, keynote lecture, and other activities.                                                                                                                            ;               

In order to be effective participants in policy processes, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and healthcare (STEM-H) experts need to have an understanding of how policy is made, implemented, and evaluated. The STEP program introduces students, expert (or soon-to-be) in their scientic field, to fundamental principles of policy in practice, in all of their complexity, including tools for understanding policy processes.  The program is organized around five key concepts:  Policymaking process, values and ethics, collaborative engagement, communication, and integrating scientific and technical information into policy.  

STEP is a core initiative of the +Policy Network and is administered by the Graduate School and STEP Director, Todd Schenk (tschenk@vt.edu).

SPRING 2024 STEP SEMINAR SERIES | FRIDAYS, 12-1 PM

The weekly STEP seminar provides a space for informative presentations and discussions around work at the science-policy interface. The seminar is open to all VT community members, and is held in-person at Architecture Annex 111 and via Zoom. | Speaker Schedule

IN THE NEWS

STEP is required curriculum for an NSF-sponsored National Research Traineeship in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance!