By Ojobo Agbo Eje, Michael Akinwumi, Itzhak Yanovitzky, and Kristoffer Shields
When people think of scientists, engineers, or healthcare professionals, they likely imagine them working in labs, hospitals, or industrial buildings. Some, however, are also policymakers at all levels of government, shaping and enacting consequential policies that impact crucial sectors of our society including technology, health, finance, energy and more. As many legislative decisions are complex and require various representative points of views, we believe their expertise could hold promise in addressing increasingly complex scientific, technical, and engineering issues. Tracking the presence of that expertise across states is therefore critical.
The Scientists in State Politics Database, created by the Eagleton Institute of Politics, is a “publicly accessible national inventory of elected state legislators with scientific, engineering and healthcare training.”[1] As a platform that is updated regularly to showcase representation of scientific expertise in the legislature, it allows users to identify elected state legislators with scientific expertise, learn about their educational background, and locate where they serve. The Institute, with funding from the New Jersey State Policy Lab, recently updated the database using data from September 2024, which demonstrated some minor changes compared to the previous data from February 2023—perhaps most notably showing a 4.09% rate of science-based representation—up from 4% in February 2024—but a 3% drop in scientists as lawmakers.
While science-based legislators therefore presently account for only just over 4% of state legislators across the nation, their presence represents a critical infusion of technical expertise in policymaking. This is especially relevant when considering the broader trend of declining expertise within the U.S. government, as highlighted in scholarly discussions such as a recent Fordham Law Review analysis. Policymaking is increasingly intersecting with complex scientific and technical challenges, from climate change to healthcare issues to data privacy and artificial intelligence. Expert knowledge in these subject areas is therefore vital.
The Imperative Behind the Scientists in State Politics Database
In such a rapidly evolving world in which science and technology play a critical role in consequential actions, integrating scientific expertise into policymaking is crucial. The Scientists in State Politics Database serves as a tool for understanding how legislators with backgrounds in science, engineering, and healthcare are represented across U.S. state legislatures. By cataloging such expertise, the inventory sheds light on a group of policymakers uniquely equipped to address these complex issues. Their technical training positions them to collaborate with their peers in industry, academia, and nonprofits to ensure their legislative contributions are evidence-driven while designing policies that benefit society.
Policymakers with scientific expertise often bring a different perspective to legislative discussions, which can lead to more informed and effective decision-making. The Scientists in State Politics Database allows researchers, journalists, and interested citizens to identify these individuals and their areas of expertise, a tool that can further allow them to track their progress and success. Additionally, the database can serve as a resource for future scientists and healthcare professionals interested in running for public office, hopefully encouraging those with such expertise to participate in civil service. By highlighting the representation of technical expertise in state legislatures, the database demonstrates individuals from these fields who have successfully transitioned into policymaking roles. This visibility not only inspires a new generation of scientifically minded leaders but also helps voters recognize the value of electing candidates with diverse professional backgrounds and promotes trust in the legislative process.
Because it is such important data, it is important that the process behind the database be thorough, clear and accurate. The data collection and analysis for the Scientists in State Politics Database follows a rigorous and transparent methodology. The definition and classification of Scientists, Engineers, and Healthcare Professionals, for example—a key variable—is based on specific criteria publicly accessible on the Scientists in State Politics Database website.
The data collection and cleaning process is also consistent and transparent. For the data cleaning in this most recent update, for example, the September 2024 data was merged from data sheets based on the members’ biographical and demographic data, as well as work experience and educational attainment. For data integration, two datasets—February 2023 and September 2024—were merged based on a common column PID (Personal Identifier) and cleaned to exclude the names of legislators who were no longer legislators in September 2024. This ensured consistency and traceability of individuals across time periods.
Custom Python scripts and Excel functions were used for tasks such as data filtering, cleaning, and VLOOKUP-based cross-referencing.
Using data from February 2023 and September 2024, our analysis highlights trends and changes in representation across demographics, party affiliations, and professional sectors. The overall dataset of all legislators is large. With 7,555 legislators represented overall in September 2024 and 7,403 in February 2023, the database provides an expansive view of the political landscape at the current time, with updates to be carried out at regular intervals moving forward.
Digging Deeper into the September 2024 Results
The most recent update to the database in September 2024 reveals that out of the 7,555 overall lawmakers, there are 309 lawmakers in state legislatures who are scientists, engineers, or healthcare professionals, accounting for (as noted above) about 4.09% of all lawmakers, whereas in the 2023 update 4.00% were of these professions. Of these, 211 lawmakers are healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, representing a 4% drop compared to 2023, when 220 were healthcare professionals; 72 legislators are scientists, such as biologists, chemists, and data scientists, representing a 3% drop compared to 2023, when there were 74 scientists; and 26 legislators are engineers with expertise in areas such as civil and mechanical engineering, representing about an 18% increase compared to 2023, when there were 22 engineers.
For the gender of these professionals, male lawmakers (164 science-based lawmakers in total v. 171 in 2023) accounted for 44 Scientists, compared to 18 in 2023; 19 Engineers compared to 18 in 2023; and 101 Healthcare Professionals compared to 108 in 2023. Female lawmakers (141 science-based lawmakers in total v. 145 in 2023), meanwhile, accounted for 29 Scientists and 4 Engineers, both the same as 2023, and 106 Healthcare Professionals compared to 112 in 2023.
The data also breaks the largest category—healthcare professionals—into more specific occupational categories. That distribution includes Dentistry (12), Pharmacists (10), Physicians (55), Registered Nurses (69), and other professionals (65).
State-Level Highlights: Variations Across the Map
The data also provides regional information, allowing users to determine which states have particularly high or low science-based representation. The states with the highest science-based legislative representation in the September data are New Hampshire (21), Georgia (15) and Maryland (11). While many states maintained stable representation from February 2023 to September 2024 (but lacked notable growth in these professional categories), a few states did exhibit changes between the two periods: New Hampshire showed a small increase in science-based expertise (from 20 in 2023 to 21 in 2024), while Connecticut representation showed a decrease from 12 in 2023 to nine in 2024. Although these changes may not seem significant, this is likely predictable as few state legislatures stood for reelection in 2023. Further updates will be made to account for the changes based on the results of November 2024 elections once those new legislators have been seated.
A Resource for Future Use
Scientists who serve as policymakers bring not only their technical expertise but also established relationships within the scientific community, helping to bridge science and governance. They have the potential to introduce evidence-based decision-making and foster policies that are informed by data, science, and innovation.
The Scientists in State Politics Database will continue to serve as a tool for understanding and shaping the intersection of technical expertise and political leadership. With its user-friendly platform and comprehensive data, the database empowers policymakers, researchers, and citizens alike to engage with the dynamics of state politics and advocate for meaningful representation.
The information on the Database website will be updated in the coming weeks to reflect the most recent November 2024 general elections, and will likely reflect broader changes to the representative expertise of the legislators across the U.S. Subsequently, the updates will be conducted on a regular basis to reflect future trends and changes.
Whether you are a policymaker, researcher, or citizen looking to engage in this type of information, the Scientists in State Politics Database is a great resource for you.
Ojobo Agbo Eje is a data scientist at Rutgers University-Camden, Michael Akinwumi is a Civic Science Fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Itzhak Yanovitzky is a professor at the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and Kristoffer Shields is a director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
References:
[1] Eagleton Institute of Politics. Scientists in State Politics. Rutgers University, https://eagleton.rutgers.edu/scientists-in-state-politics/. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.