Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellow

Lorenzo Smith

Lorenzo Smith is a graduate student at the University of Utah.

Describe your interest in participating in the program. 
Smith: My biggest motivation for graduate school was to use my education to help others. For the longest time, I thought that this looked like performing basic research to understand the biology of diseases and, in turn, establish new therapies for patients. Yet, after nearly four years of productive research work, I feel I have made little impact with my education to help others, leaving me greatly unfulfilled. This lack of fulfillment has been tirelessly painful in recent years and has left me asking, "Was a scientific PhD the wrong path for me?" or "Should I be leaving my PhD program?" It was not until I started learning more about scientific careers in public service that these questions ceased.

My new intrigue in this space motivated me to get involved locally with the American Cancer Society for their "Cancer on the Hill" day. At this large advocacy event, I met with cancer patients from my state who were grappling with unaffordable treatment due to problematic insurance policies in Utah. This was a huge wake-up call for me. How can we, as scientists, be working to create therapies if most patients cannot even afford the treatment once it is approved for clinical use? This revelation has made me passionate about leveraging my background to lead advocacy work. For once, during my doctorate journey, I felt like I had found my life path. I feel reinvigorated in my passion to help others.

My relatively new passion for advocacy work has positioned me to seek opportunities to build my skills in advocacy, and I believe the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship is a natural next step for me to achieve my short-term and long-term goals. First, my academic training lacks exposure to government and policy, so my initial aim with the program is to grasp better how governmental systems operate and how scientists can contribute to evidence-based policy decisions. This involves acquiring fundamental skills such as researching, writing, and disseminating science policy.

Once I've mastered these fundamental skills, I intend to apply them to build advocacy efforts to influence evidence-based policy decisions. By the program's end, I aim to feel adept at communicating policy and collaborating with policymakers, stakeholders, and constituents. As someone from a disadvantaged background, it is important to me to make policy decisions accessible to all. I firmly believe that making these decisions accessible to all members of the public will motivate individuals to pursue advocacy work to foster the change they seek in the world.

Moreover, effective advocacy is an ongoing journey requiring continuous training and skill development. Therefore, my final goal with the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship is to establish strong connections with science policy professionals and fellow delegates for future mentoring and collaboration. Through these connections, I aspire to cultivate a community of professionals dedicated to leading impactful advocacy efforts.

How do you plan to use the knowledge and experience gained through your participation in the Howard Garrison Advocacy Program? 
Smith: The first way I plan to apply the skills I learn through this program is with Utah’s American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN). As a new volunteer in this group, I have assisted with basic advocacy for health care, tobacco, and research funding policy changes. However, after this program, I expect to transition into a leadership position with ACS-CAN and accelerate their advocacy efforts. This includes leading workshops for ACS-CAN volunteers on government system operations, policy writing, and crafting advocacy messages.

Beyond applying my fellowship skills to advocacy groups like ACS-CAN, I plan to work with local institutions to build an advocacy community in Salt Lake City, Utah. I envision leading workshops with groups in public spaces, such as libraries or cafés, to teach my community about science policy issues and how they can get involved. With these workshops, I will empower individuals by helping them craft policy pitches alongside teaching them how to find and contact their representatives. Further, I plan to become more involved with science policy awareness in graduate school. I recognize the unique lessons this program will provide me as a scientist, and I plan to share these lessons and skills with my university peers. In the year following the program, I aim to organize and lead advocacy engagement opportunities for fellow scientists, allowing them to acquire the necessary skills to become effective policy advocates themselves.

Using no more than 250 words, describe your research as you would to a non-scientist. 
Smith: As we age, our risk of cancer increases, making it crucial to understand how aging contributes to cancer development. Research has revealed that as we age, damaged cells called "senescent cells" accumulate in our tissues instead of dying off as they should. These cells are a focus of study in new efforts to understand how aging fuels diseases like cancer.

In my research, I study senescent cells in a subset of cancer called adrenal cancer. I've observed that senescent cells accumulate before adrenal cancer manifests, suggesting that they may promote adrenal cancer. Moreover, I've found that senescent cells actively release molecules that support cancer growth. Currently, I'm exploring whether these damaged cells can transform into cancer cells and potentially initiate adrenal cancer.

By shedding light on how senescent cells, which increase with age, contribute to age-related cancer, my work aims to inform preventive measures against cancer associated with aging.

Briefly describe any past or present participation in additional career exploration activities, experiences, and/or programs. 
Smith: When I started graduate school, I intended to use my scientific training to become a productive scientist in a biotech company. With this goal, I helped establish a student chapter at the University of Utah to connect students with Salt Lake City's growing biotech sector, which quickly grew to over 100 members. However, through organizing industry panels, talks, and site visits, I have realized that a scientific career in the industry is more about business strategy and profit, which does not align with my career interests.

A pivotal moment came last December when I attended an American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology career webinar on government and science policy careers. The speakers shared messages about being a "servant to the public" and "bettering our society," which resonated deeply with me and what I wanted with a future career. Afterward, I researched science policy and advocacy careers, connecting with groups like Utah's American Association for the Advancement of Science Local Science Engagement Network, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the National Science Policy Network. I participated in a boot camp through the National Science Policy Network, learning the fundamentals of science policy and writing. Working with three other peers, we crafted a policy pitch on decarbonization and environmental justice, which a panel of judges recognized as the best policy pitch. These initial explorations have provided me with major affirmation and motivation to continue pursuing a career in science policy. I am excited about the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship's opportunity to delve even deeper into science policy and advocacy.

Lorenzo Smith is a member of Endocrine Society, a FASEB member society.