Aii Director of Public Policy, Benjamin Dierker, recently spoke to graduate students at Texas A&M University alongside fellow alumni on the topic of research careers outside of academia. Sharing his experience and insights from the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure, Mr. Dierker explained the nature of research in the think tank space and the importance of formulating good research questions.
Other panelists, spanning the private sector, included a data scientists, historian, and UX researcher. Some of the groups insights, summarized by the panel host, include the importance of networking, publications, and internships.
The October 5, 2021 panel was held over zoom and included excellent questions from an audience of over 100 graduate students ranging from the STEM fields to liberal arts and including both graduate and professional students seeking degree levels of masters, law, and PhDs.
Aii is committed to shaping future generations of researchers and innovators. This panel presented a unique opportunity to share the importance of public policy, the ways that policy is an intersection of economics, law, and political factors, and how fields like energy, infrastructure, and technology overlap considerably.
This event was accessible through a registration link as well as the career bulletin within the university’s Department of Economics. The event was organized and hosted by Paul Rainey, PhD a graduate career coordinator.
See other events and engagements at Aii in Action.