Rachel Owen, center
Sept. 15, 2020
Rachel Owen came to MU in 2015 to work on her PhD, which looked at how climate change impacts natural ecosystems. Just two years into that work, she help co-found the Missouri Science and Technology Policy Fellows (MOST). Owen earned her PhD from Mizzou in 2019 and has now been named the director of the program.
The goal of MOST is to place PhD candidates, who recently received their PhD in a STEM discipline, in Jefferson City. The fellows serve as a resource for legislators while drafting or voting on bills, informing them of the benefits and consequences of their decisions from a scientific perspective. The focus of the organization is promoting long-term health, sustainability and economic growth for Missouri communities and people by connecting science and policy.
“MU has been integral to the formation of MOST,” Owen said. “I know I can find faculty who can serve as a mentor and who are also experts in policy. That relationship benefits the fellows so much – that network is truly vital.”
Learn more from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Read more from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
