MOST Policy Initiative, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation aimed at bringing scientists and policymakers together to improve livelihoods for people and communities in the Midwest. The Missouri Science & Technology Policy Fellows program is the core, inaugural program under the umbrella of MOST Policy Initiative.
As an entity of the University of Missouri, MOST Policy Initiative will adhere to their inclusive excellence framework.
Increasing representation among the next class of policy fellows and the board of directors is a key goal of a comprehensive diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) plan that Missouri Science & Technology (MOST) Policy Initiative is currently developing.
In 2016, MOST Policy Initiative was founded by three Ph.D. students at the University of Missouri – Hallie Thompson, Mike Hendricks, and Rachel Owen. We have continued to rely on support from the Associate Students of the University of Missouri, University of Missouri Graduate Professional Council, and several individual students with a passion for science policy. In 2019, we hired one of our co-founders, Rachel Owen, to be our full time director. Additionally, we rely on support from several undergraduate interns and graduate volunteers.
