Roles for PhDs at the US State Department

Monday, January 22nd, 2024, 5:30 – 6:30 PM CST (Virtual)

Are you interested in leveraging your STEM training to make meaningful contributions to national and international policy and advocacy? Attend our “What Can I Do with My PhD?” virtual seminar to learn more about career paths at the US Department of State and gather advice from current science policy specialists with backgrounds in biological and physical sciences. Our panelists will share what drew them to the field, the competencies that are required to be successful in these types of careers, what they love about what they do, and ways to use your scientific training to grow a career at the State Department.

Nicole Espy, PhD

Technical Advisor, Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy – U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)


PhD ’21, Biological Sciences of Public Health
Harvard University

Jonathan Moch, PhD

Climate, Energy, and Science Policy Advisor, Bureau of Oceans and International Env. and Sci. Affairs – Global Change


PhD ’20, Earth and Planetary Sciences with Secondary Field in STS
Harvard University

Courtney Hill, PhD

Foreign Affairs Officer - Office of Japanese Affairs, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs – Japanese Affairs


PhD ’20, Civil Engineering
University of Virginia

Sara Kelly, PhD

Science and Technology Policy Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science


PhD ’21, Chemical Engineering
Stanford University

Camille Simoneau, PhD

Program Advisor, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation - Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction


PhD ’21, Biomedical Sciences
University of California, San Francisco

Philip Kao, PhD

Bureau of Political and Military Affairs – Regional Security and Arms Transfer


PhD ’14, Social Anthropology
University of St. Andrews