Tell us a little bit about your career journey: How did you come to work in biosecurity policy?

I’ve been doing biosecurity work since 2019, first working in Congress, then at a federal agency, and now at a think tank. Around 2016, I started my career on “the Hill”, focusing on foreign affairs and security issues. While I was vaguely aware of work related to countering weapons of mass destruction, I wasn’t planning on working in biosecurity. 

My interest in biosecurity developed over time via meetings with relevant experts, especially those at ASPR (the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response), which made me realize that this issue was important yet had relatively few people working on it. This was pre-covid, of course, but even today biosecurity and pandemic preparedness seem neglected and underresourced.

I got more seriously into biosecurity in 2020 due to the pandemic when I transitioned from the Hill to working for ASPR within the Department of Health and Human Services. I returned to the Hill in 2021 to work on pandemic preparedness for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP), before starting my current position at the Scowcroft Institute.

What are some of the current bio-related policy challenges you’re working on?

There are a lot! Here’s a quick overview of the main issues I’ve worked on: Before covid, I was raising the salience of biosecurity issues on the Hill. During the pandemic, before we had widespread vaccines, my work at ASPR focused on the distribution of monoclonal antibodies as therapeutics to treat COVID-19. I was also involved with the monitoring of critical supplies like masks, gloves, and hospital beds for situational awareness within ASPR. This work gave me first-hand insights into the mechanisms of a pandemic response. After returning to the Hill as a staffer on the Senate HELP Committee, I worked on the Prevent Pandemics Act and reforms to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). 

Currently, some of my work is at the intersection of AI and biosecurity, including hosting workshops and stakeholder engagement. We’re also investigating biological threats to the global food system, leveraging the agricultural expertise at our host institution, Texas A&M University. Additionally, post-COVID, there’s been a surge in interest in biosafety, particularly in reforming dual-use research of concern (DURC) policies. We’re trying to be a supportive partner in this space and appreciate this forward-looking report from March 2023 by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB).

What does a typical day look like for you?

A significant part of my work involves surveying the policy landscape to identify what other organizations are working on and pinpointing gaps where my team can contribute. We conduct research, interview experts, write reports, and publish findings. We also convene workshops and events to raise the profile of particular issues, connect stakeholders, foster dialogue between parties, and enable efficient coordination. And there are many other activities; for example, we recently prepared for a congressional hearing involving my boss. 

We strive to strike a balance between identifying under-explored issues and engaging with ongoing policy discussions. It’s crucial for us to stay informed about ongoing policy conversations and governmental outputs so that our work is responsive to current events.

My current position affords me a lot of autonomy to explore my interests and steer our research agenda. When I worked at ASPR or on the Hill, the agenda was generally dictated from the top down. Congressional work also fluctuates a lot with the legislative calendar: during legislative windows, the workload intensifies, which often involves coalition building to gather support for a bill. In quieter periods—like when Congress is out of session—Hill work more closely resembles think tank research in that there are a lot of meetings with experts to deepen your understanding of specific issues.

What advice do you have for those interested in a similar career path?

“My advice for anyone interested in policy is to start somewhere, even if it’s not your perfect role. Gaining relevant experience makes it easier to transition into more ideal positions later.”

There are many ways to get into biosecurity policy. Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t meet a specific educational criterion. Although many people in the field have STEM backgrounds, and some technical understanding is beneficial, formal STEM training is not always necessary. The broader biosecurity ecosystem requires a diverse set of skills. For example, we need lawyers who can understand how to implement new rules and the legal authorities involved, or even create new laws on the Hill. Expertise in the commercial sector is also crucial, especially in creating a robust medical countermeasure system since the private sector manufactures these products. 

My advice for anyone interested in policy is to start somewhere, even if it’s not your perfect role. Gaining relevant experience makes it easier to transition into more ideal positions later. You never know where you might end up; three years ago, I couldn’t have predicted I’d be in my current role. It’s not always possible to plan everything precisely.

Talking to experts and cultivating mentors is invaluable. You can draw on their knowledge for career advice and insight into the history of the policy community. Biosecurity in the US has a long history and there’s a deep bench of biosecurity experts, which I encourage people to reach out and learn from. The current US biosecurity infrastructure might seem confusing, but it’s more understandable with historical context. 

What skills do you think are important for success in biosecurity policy, and how could readers acquire them?

“I can’t stress enough the value of networking and interacting with others”.

I can’t stress enough the value of networking and interacting with others. You can spend a lot of time alone, contemplating the right policy or the best approach to a project, but it’s often more productive to engage with others. Building your network also provides many serendipitous opportunities and learning experiences.

It’s crucial to seek out all the stakeholders on an issue and understand their competing views. When you hear about an issue for the first time, it’s easy to be convinced by one person’s perspective. However, issues often remain unsolved because there are valid reasons for disagreement.

Keeping tabs on policy developments and being opportunistic is also key. Your ability to make a difference as a policy professional isn’t always constant, but it peaks when relevant opportunities arise.

Finally, keeping an ideas bank is beneficial. Your mind shouldn’t be the sole repository for your ideas. Having a place to organize your thoughts is essential. Then, when opportunities present themselves, you can refer back to this list of ideas.

Are there any programs, resources, or books you’d especially recommend for those interested in biosecurity policy?

Try to create for yourself an incoming stream of information relevant to biosecurity and policy developments. For example, you can subscribe to excellent resources like the Pandora Report and Center for Health Security newsletters. Additionally, following a few people on Twitter who have insightful views on biosecurity can be helpful. Setting this up means the information comes to you automatically, so you don’t have to actively search for it each time.

There are also several books I’d recommend:

1. Germs: Biological Weapons and America’s Secret War is a good historical resource with vignettes on topics like the Rajneesh cult. 
2. Ken Alibek’s Biohazard is helpful for understanding the Soviet biological weapons program—the extent of their program, and how much it was underestimated in the West, should be a concern for everyone. 
3. Biosecurity Dillemmas is good for thinking through trade-offs in policymaking. 
4. First Shots is an excellent read, discussing the decision-making process and vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Finally, for general pandemic knowledge, The Great Influenza is informative, though it may not directly relate to current policy debates.

This is part of a series of career profiles, aiming to make career stories and resources more accessible to people without easy access to mentorship and advice. If you have suggestions for what questions you’d like to see answered in these profiles, please fill out our feedback form.