UMass Graduate Students Bring Science Advocacy to Capitol Hill at 2026 AAAS CASE Workshop

Academics
UMass CASE workshop attendees outside the capitol building in Washington, D.C.
Graduate student CASE Workshop attendees on Capitol Hill. Photo courtesy Anders Houldcroft.

Four UMass graduate students, including Health Policy and Management doctoral student Ruth Appiah Kubi, recently took their science and research expertise to Capitol Hill during the recent 2026 AAAS CASE Workshop. Joining Appiah Kubi at the workshop, held April 12-15 in Bethesda, Maryland, were fellow doctoral students Jeng-Yu Chou, computer science, Madison Galusha, Civil Engineering, and Marissa Hanley, plant and soil sciences.

CASE (Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering) Workshops invite STEM students from across the country to learn more about the interplay between science and federal policymaking through hands-on training sessions. Students participate in the workshop each year to learn how to communicate their research to policymakers. Ultimately, the experience is designed to develop a mutual understanding between student researchers and politicians, with an emphasis on empowering students with the ability to convey the story of their research.

Photo of Ruth Appiah-Kubi
Ruth Appiah-Kubi

One of the key objectives of the CASE workshop is to expose student researchers to functions within government, and how their work may inform the rationale behind decisions at a policy-level. CASE attendees also have the opportunity to attend actual policy-focused meetings on the Hill, and Appiah Kubi was selected as one of the designated speakers for a meeting with Rep. Jim McGovern’s staff.

The 2026 CASE Workshop attendees were selected through a highly competitive application process and sponsored by the Graduate School, the College of Natural Sciences, and the Riccio College of Engineering. Since 2014, the Office of Professional Development (OPD) has helped over 30 UMass Amherst graduate students attend the CASE workshop and subsequent meetings on the Hill, in collaboration with partners at AAAS, Tremont Strategies Group, and Boston University Federal Relations.

Read more about the attendees’ experiences at the workshop in this article on the Graduate School site.

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