Alumni Spotlight Series: Tara Schwetz, PhD

Interview by: Elizabeth (Liz) Akinbiyi, Ph.D.

Welcome to the inaugural installment of the "Alumni Spotlight Series," a captivating series dedicated to showcasing the remarkable journeys and achievements of our esteemed AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) alumni. Through these insightful profiles, we aim to illuminate the diverse paths taken by our distinguished alumni as they navigate the intersection of science, policy, and leadership.

In this feature, we have the honor of highlighting the extraordinary career trajectory of Tara A. Schwetz, PhD, who has not only leveraged her fellowship to propel her career to new heights but has also emerged as a leader in advancing public health and scientific innovation.

We delve into Tara's fascinating journey, exploring the pivotal moments and invaluable lessons learned along the way. Through her inspiring story, we hope to spark inspiration in current and aspiring fellows, sharing the boundless possibilities that await those who embark on the AAAS STPF journey.

Reflecting on your time as a Fellow, what was one memorable experience or project that had a significant impact on you? 

Tara: “I found the most satisfaction personally contributing to the development of the National Pain Strategy. It was a very large effort connected to the Affordable Care Act that mandated, at the time, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to craft a report with recommendations for (relieving) pain in America. Their main recommendation was that there needed to be a national pain strategy.  

HHS was in the throes of implementing the Affordable Care Act and NIH took the lead on organizing the pain strategy. Developing this was my main project as an AAAS fellow. There were almost 90 people involved, seven or eight working groups, an oversight committee, and a steering committee. I learned about physician education, billing and reimbursement, and ICD [International Classification of Diseases] codes—topics that I previously knew nothing about coming directly from the lab. It was a really great experience to have that opportunity to really learn and grow and do something that I never thought I would be doing.”

During our conversation, Tara shared her story of her first year within the fellowship, which began at the NIH in the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). About halfway through the year, she transitioned to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS.) As she described, “I was always looking for more things to do.” Being in the right place at the right time and her  willingness to volunteer created the perfect opportunity for Tara to help with the National Pain Strategy. This transition was supported by the NINDS and NINR Institute Directors and the NIH Coordinator, and the AAAS Program Manager. The message she took away was that great opportunities may emerge in unexpected ways, so remain vigilant and flexible.

Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself at the beginning of your fellowship, or what advice would you offer to new Fellows starting their journey? 

Tara: “I have three pieces of advice: 

1. Say yes to everything…within reason.  

• Say yes to everything when it comes to career opportunities. Like the story I just shared, you never know what might happen and, even if nothing comes out of it, you’ll learn something. The fellowship is a time to be in a true learning expansion mode. You never know what experiences you will have or people you will meet as part of the process.  

2. You can do anything for a year (or at least 6 months). 

• Even if you are not very excited about the work that you’re currently doing, there’s a time clock on it when you’re a Fellow. So, use it as an opportunity to do informational interviews— explore and learn.  

3. It’s as important to cross things off your list as it is to figure out what you do like and what drives your passion. 

• If you know the thing that you have been doing for the last several months is not something that you’re interested in doing for the rest of your life, you now know that. Almost nothing is a true waste of time. Also, if, in the future, you have a job that you’re trying to decide whether or not to take, you might want to rethink taking that job if it’s clearly outside your interests. I think there’s a lot to learn from what doesn’t drive you as much as what does.” 

Tara shared a fourth piece of advice with me during our sidebar conversation on approaching career transitions: “You have to be a bit selfish.” As job opportunities present themselves, it’s important to be mindful of your current position and responsibilities within your office, but it’s also essential to not lose sight of what’s best for you and your career. Most times, colleagues will be happy for you and be understanding of your decision, especially if “a better opportunity, a promotion, or an experience in an area where you’re incredibly passionate about” presents itself. However, Tara notes the importance of not “burning bridges” as you go about this transition. Regarding career transitions, she advised putting yourself first while maintaining professional relationships built along the way. 

In what ways did your fellowship experience contribute to your career trajectory after completing the program? 

Tara: “I stayed at NIH, so the fellowship obviously helped with that. My experience really taught me flexibility and adaptability and the importance of these traits for any position. As the acting director of NINR, the executive officer referred to me as a palm tree. I figured it was because I’m tall or from Florida, but these details had nothing to do with her comment. She said ‘you’re a palm tree because you go with the flow. You sway with the breeze during a calm day, but during a hurricane you also adapt.’ That was a really cute description visualizing being flexible and adaptable and navigating things in various environments.” 

At the end of Tara’s first year, the government shut down for 16 days. This was a “very interesting time” according to Tara, and it delayed her hiring process at NIH. She also reflected on one of her early leadership positions at NIH:  

Tara: “I think a full circle moment in my career was when I went back to NINR as the Acting Director after having started as a Fellow there. It was a really fun experience. There were a bunch of people that I knew from my fellowship that were still there. I think [NINR staff] were maybe a bit relieved about who was coming into the acting role because I was at least familiar with the institute and worked there before, if even for a short time.” 

These stories echo the importance of developing adaptability and flexibility traits in general, but especially during transitions. 

What role do you believe networking and building relationships has played in your career development? 

Tara: “I mentioned already the importance of doing informational interviews. I think they’re really great opportunities to learn about different positions during the fellowship experience. Doing informational interviews is an amazing way to network. As a fellow, you have an opportunity that a lot of people don’t have. You get a door that’s at least partly open not just from using the fellowship network to be introduced to people, but people are generally happy to talk to fellows. People know you’re not necessarily asking for a job and that you’re excited and interested in learning. Plus, they love to talk about themselves! I’m exhibit A, I guess.” We both laugh. “Informational interviews are great opportunities to reach out in a kind of low-risk way. Most people are willing to talk to Fellows and it’s always something that I encourage people to take full advantage of during their fellowship.” 

Can you tell us about a hobby or interest of yours that people might be surprised to learn about? And how do you balance your professional life with personal interests and hobbies outside of work? 

Tara: “I hang out with my friends. A lot of them I made over the last 12 years. There are even friends that I met during the interviews. Two of the three people that I remember seeing in the waiting room (because we were the last group of in-person semi-finalist interviews before AAAS switched to virtual), I became friends with. One of them I’ll see in June when I’m in San Francisco and the other I’m in a book club with.  

Almost all of my really good friends in DC are from the fellowship network. A small group of friends, all women, call ourselves the board of directors for each other. It’s a text thread and there’s a video app we use to get advice on personal stuff, work issues such as whether to apply to a job or whether or not to accept a job, or to share something frustrating at work. This has been a powerful way to get different perspectives.  

Also, I can’t wait till it gets warmer because I’m someone who’s solidly comfortable in the eighties [temperature-wise] as a starting point, so I’m looking forward to biking around DC, meeting up with folks to grab lunch, dinner, or a drink, and kayaking on the Potomac.” 

Regarding how she balances her personal and professional life, Tara said, “I’m not great at work life balance, so don’t emulate me.” Work-life balance is important, and Tara emphasized, “it’s critical to find those things that give you an opportunity to destress, relax, and enjoy the moment.” 

Finally, what excites you most about the future of science and technology policy, and where do you see yourself contributing in the years to come? 

Tara: “I’ve been in my role as NIH Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives now for six months. One of the areas that I’m really interested in exploring more and expanding out is the idea of meta-science or the science of science. And helping to couple that with some of the tools that are out there and are being developed. I have two offices, Office of Portfolio Analysis (OPA) and Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Reporting (OEPR), that are really contributing to this in different ways. OPA is a tool development office and OEPR focuses on the application of those tools and the analyses. At the heart of meta-science is embracing the application of scientific principles to the science that we support, and understanding how we support the science, which is an important concept.  

There are also growing opportunities in the area of convergence and translation that we can move forward. Relatedly, while on detail, I helped create the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), before returning to the NIH and helping it get implemented.  

And an obvious one is seeing how generative AI and other new tools both enable the acceleration of some of the analyses and different things that we’re doing in science...I’m interested in seeing how we utilize these tools differently, how these change over time, and how we all adapt.  

Lastly, I always have an AAAS STP[F] Fellow, and I have had an amazing run of recruiting incredible fellows, my current fellow included!” 

To keep up with Tara, you can follow her work on the NIH website and her career journey on LinkedIn. 

As mentioned above, the “Alumni Spotlight Series" is a new series within the Sci on the Fly Blog that will showcase distinguished alumni who served as AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows who have leveraged their fellowship placement to propel their careers. This series aims to inspire current and aspiring Fellows with the diverse career trajectories achievable through this fellowship.  

Know of any STPF alumni who align with these criteria? Please email stpf-alumni@aaas.org to be considered for a profile. 

Image: Unsplash