The Royal Academy of Engineering is delighted to announce the latest successful applicants to join its prestigious Policy Fellowships programme:
- Jo Reilly, Criminal Justice Evidence and Change Lead, Youth Endowment Fund
- Jose Reis, Principal Policy Officer – Economic Strategy, the Greater London Authority
- Rachel Lee, Head of Hydrogen Heating Networks and Storage, Clean Heat Directorate, DESNZ
- Andrew Borland, Chief Innovation Officer, Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC), University of Liverpool
- Raghuv Bhasin, Chief Operating Officer, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
The Policy Fellows will join the programme virtually between October 2023 and January 2024. They will take part in a series of activities designed to help them make rapid progress on their chosen policy challenges, including one-to-one meetings with experts, coaching sessions and group workshops. They will learn first-hand how engineers solve problems using techniques such as systems thinking, apply this to complex policy questions and have an opportunity to expand their personal networks with the Academy’s community of innovators and leaders. Collectively they will meet over 100 leading engineers and interdisciplinary experts handpicked from the Academy’s UK and international networks.
After completing their fellowship, the new Policy Fellows will join our network of over 60 alumni who strive to engineer better policy across the civil and public service nationally. The improved understanding of challenges and solutions is already having a direct impact on policymaking.
Dr David Cleevely CBE FREng, Chair of the Policy Fellowships Working Group, said:
"The Academy’s Policy Fellowships programme helps people tackle wicked problems using engineering and systems thinking. The growing number of applicants demonstrates the tremendous value we can bring. Our ever-expanding alumni programme with over 70 members has enabled past fellows to continue to address the issues they face and develop their professional careers. I continue to be excited by the potential of this unique network of policymakers to transform policy through thinking like an engineer.”
Next cohort: applications open from 1 September until 1 December 2023
Applications for the next cohort of Policy Fellows will open on 1st September and will close on 1st December 2023, with the programme start date set for March 2024. For more information about the programme and how to apply please visit www.raeng.org.uk/policyfellowships or email [email protected].
Notes for editors
The Policy Fellowships programme inspires policymakers to think differently and to use engineering and systems thinking to frame complex and wicked problems, and design resilient solutions. The programme has grown a unique network of policymakers, engineers and other experts who work together to develop fresh insights and approaches to economic, social, and technical problems. Twice a year the Royal Academy of Engineering will select exceptional policymakers to become Policy Fellows. We welcome applications from civil and public servants who have a variety of insights, expertise and backgrounds from across the policy community.