As a state, Michigan regularly creates rules, procedures, and laws about issues such as healthcare delivery, advanced manufacturing, autonomous vehicle rollout, energy transitions, PFAS and Pb contamination, Great Lakes restoration, and other complex scientific issues that affect constituents across the state. Despite the scientific nature of such policy issues, relatively few scientists or medical clinicians serve in Michigan’s full-time legislature. As a result, policymakers across the political spectrum often lack direct access to the research findings they need to fully understand the implications of their decisions.
The new Michigan Science, Technology, and Public Policy (MiST) fellowship program aims to address this gap by providing lawmakers and agencies with dedicated, in-house science advice to support evidence-based policy. Starting in summer 2026, early career scientists, engineers, and technologists will be embedded within the nonpartisan Legislative Service Bureau (LSB) and other state agencies.
By connecting elected officials directly with these experts, MiST will give Michigan policymakers a trusted, nonpartisan source for evidence-based policy guidance. “We’re researching technical questions that shouldn’t have political values. We can help policymakers understand what the evidence says,” said Elana Goldenkoff, who has a PhD in neuroscience and a STPP certificate from the University of Michigan. As a science and technology fellow for the state of New York, Goldenkoff draws on her technical training and experience in research design.
So far, she has examined how quality is measured within hospitals and the best ways to improve it. She has also explored the methodological differences among studies investigating the potential relationship between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism. She’s currently working on a multi-state collaboration to strengthen healthcare delivery. That collaboration is just getting underway, but they have already shared aligned Covid-19 vaccine guidelines and are identifying opportunities for joint emergency preparedness plans. Goldenkoff is working with state laboratory directors to make clinical and wastewater testing more efficient and cost-effective between states.
For her, the fellowship bridges an important gap for professionals like her with advanced science degrees, but who don’t have direct experience in public policy. “These fellowships are perfectly designed for that role, and they really make use of the skills that you have while training you in new skills, like writing for policy audiences and understanding the politics of policymaking,” she said.
The potential to apply technical, scientific research to policy has garnered widespread bipartisan support from lawmakers. Science and technology policy fellowship programs have been launched in 12 states, including California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and West Virginia. Seventeen other states, including Michigan, are currently organizing efforts to establish a program.
In California, where they’ve had a similar program since 2009, more than one-third of the fellows obtained permanent state government positions. Michigan stakeholders hope the program will do the same to keep talent here.
“A state level fellowship will provide STEM graduates with an existing pathway to apply their subject matter expertise, preceding opportunities for them to make contributions to evidence-based policies,” said Brittany Affolter-Caine, executive director of Research Universities for Michigan.
The University of Michigan’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program (STPP) will administer the fellowship program in collaboration with the nonpartisan Legislative Service Bureau (LSB), Michigan State University, and other partners across the state.
Applications will open in spring 2026 for scientists and technologists nationwide who hold a PhD. The program is currently seeking additional financial support from local and national foundations.
For more information, please reach out to Mandy Gagel at [email protected] and visit STPP’s website.