Leveraging scientific expertise to inform local policy
WiSTA, a legislative outreach initiative of the Catalysts for Science Policy (CaSP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, aims to provide policy memoranda on a wide variety of science topics to Wisconsin State Legislators. The program benefits are twofold:
- leverage the scientific expertise of local scientists to provide information that supports evidence-based policy development by local legislators
- provide UW-Madison scientists with an opportunity to engage with policymakers and develop critical skills for advancing to science policy careers.
Connecting scientists with local lawmakers
Scientific information is critical for developing robust, evidence-based policy. The University of Wisconsin-Madison, uniquely positioned near the state capitol, conducts cutting edge research with the potential to inform local and state policy. Our program connects scientists with local lawmakers to:
- Educate lawmakers on scientific topics relevant to local or state policy
- Communicate and distill technical information, and
- Evaluate potential impact of proposed policy from a science perspective.
Relevant, topical expertise to support science-based policy
Connecting UW-Madison scientists with local lawmakers to promote science- and evidence-based policy