Researcher Earns Science Policy Recognition
University of Texas at Dallas electrical engineering doctoral student Satwik Dutta MS’20 was one of four winners of the national Science Policy & Advocacy for Research Competition (SPARC) to develop and advocate for policies on pressing issues.
Dutta earned a trip in June to Washington, D.C., to attend the SPARC Science Policy Summit and deliver science policy pitches to bipartisan policymakers at multiple congressional offices and House committees on Capitol Hill and to policy advisors in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The competition, hosted by the Universities Research Association (URA), is designed to give early career scientists the skills to engage in science policy and communication.
“My experience at the SPARC Science Policy Summit was amazing,” said Dutta, a Eugene McDermott Graduate Fellow who was among 100 students internationally selected for the first cohort of Quad Fellows in 2022. “I was so excited and nervous to pitch my science policy ideas to expert policymakers.
“Receiving their feedback and appreciation has given me more confidence to continue my policy advocacy. This is not something that happens every day or that you can envision as a STEM doctoral student.”
Dutta’s doctoral work in the Center for Robust Speech Systems in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science focuses on developing voice artificial intelligence (AI) applications to provide data on children’s speech and language development that could help teachers and practitioners identify students who need additional support.
The researcher said he became interested in science policy out of concern for protecting the privacy of children’s voice data used in AI applications such as educational technology or online AI assistants like Alexa. Dutta’s doctoral work is supervised by Dr. John H.L. Hansen, Distinguished Chair in Telecommunications, associate dean for research in the Jonsson School, professor of electrical engineering, and founder and director of the Center for Robust Speech Systems.
“Dr. Hansen’s motivation allowed me to think about the broader impact of my doctoral research on society, beyond developing the technology,” Dutta said.
In January, Dutta was one of 30 students selected nationwide to participate in the 10-week virtual program to help students develop science policy opinion articles, one-page documents for Capitol Hill meetings and three-minute policy pitches. Dutta said he is grateful for the support and mentorship he received through the program.
A version of this story appeared in News Center.