Doing policy-relevant research is a rewarding experience, but it not necessarily part of the skill set or incentive system in academic research. A new article (brought to my attention by Amy Latimer, lead for the Sport & Recreation team) acknowledges this difficulty, and proposes a four-part approach to what they call “strategic science”. The approach begins by establishing relationships with policy makers in your area of research, based on reciprocal information flow. Too often we seek only to push information out, hoping it will fall on receptive ears. Instead Brownell & Roberto suggest hearing from policy makers about what is important to them and to the government they work for, as a first step in providing pertinent targeted information from your research.
To read the article, click here.