TLDR: Read our public comment on a proposed rule to restrict international students, and our guest post here on LinkedIn! Sign-up for Stance on Science to see where candidates stand on science policy issues and get involved through our upcoming SciPol Hackathon or SciPol course.

Read About SNAP on LinkedIn!

SNAP was given the opportunity to write a guest post on Deborah Stine’s Inform & Influence S&T Policy newsletter. You can read our post here! This covers SNAP’s recent initiatives, detailing the steps we’ve taken to get early-career scientists engaged in science policy efforts!

Multidisciplinary Writing

SNAP published a public comment opposing a proposed rule that would limit the time that international students can spend in the US. Read it here. Beyond commenting on policy, we have exciting writing opportunities in the works, including being invited to write articles about SNAP and early-career science communication. Stay tuned!

Stance on Science

SNAP will be asking science policy-related questions of candidates running in local, state, and national races during the 2026 elections. We’ll share their responses on our website so voters can better understand where candidates stand on science issues. Interested in helping in your state? Fill out this sign-up form, and we will be in touch with more information. Stay tuned for more details as 2026 approaches!

SNAP Visits

SNAP’s Congressional District Visits have wrapped up: early-career scientists across 29 states met with over 55 Congressional offices, sharing stories about their science and the value of research! We are inspired by each scientist who dedicated time to learn, prepare, and engage with lawmakers to support public science funding. By shifting advocacy from DC-based fly-ins to hometown offices, District Visits lower barriers to participation, build local connections, and emphasize that science is not an abstract enterprise but a vital part of every congressional district. We are evaluating the impact of these visits, so stay tuned for a report on initiative impact in a future newsletter!

SciPol Hackathon

SNAP is organizing our inaugural national Science Policy Hackathon event to take place during the Spring 2026 semester! Small groups from science policy groups across the nation will tackle policy issues related to science and society, STEM professional formation, and bolstering the STEM workforce. Completed policy solutions will be showcased by SNAP. Don’t have a science policy group yet, but are interested in forming one? We have a new primer for getting started here. Email us for more info!

SciPol Course

SNAP is developing a modular science policy curriculum covering topics such as: What is Science Policy?, How Government Works, Science Communication, and more. These resources can be used to educate students at our home institutions and encourage the creation of new university science policy groups. More intensive course development is underway now, email us if you’re interested in getting involved or if you want to make sure we send you the course materials once they’re finalized!

McClintock Letters

This initiative is a nationwide science communication project in which hundreds of scientists wrote to their local hometown papers to convey the value of federally funded research to a diverse audience. So far we have had over 200 pieces published across at least 44 states! We are now examining the impact of this initiative.

AAAS 2026

Members of SNAP will be attending the AAAS conference in February 2026, presenting their work in the E-poster session, and hosting a booth. Stay tuned for a full list of the events we’ll be participating in!

External Opportunities

✨SNAPper Highlights and Achievements ✨

Check out these recent works by SNAP members and works mentioning SNAP members or initiatives!