Irene Ngun is Associate Director of Science Policy at the Federation of American Scientists. Most recently, she was a Senior Project Manager at the Urban Institute’s Center on Education Data and Policy, where she led the operations and management of special initiatives and cross-functional teams. Prior to joining Urban, her work focused on higher education and workforce issues, and ways to increase participation and advancement of women and minorities in STEM fields. Her career in science policy began on Capitol Hill where she interned for the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Irene received her M.A. in International Relations from Yonsei Graduate School of International Studies (South Korea), where her research was focused on South Korea’s spent nuclear fuel policies and energy security. She received her B.A. in Biochemistry from Goshen College.
Policy entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to shape the agenda for the next administration. Knowing when and how to act is crucial to turning policy ideas into action.
To address challenges posed by increased extreme heat, USAID should mobilize finance through environmental impact bonds focused on scaling extreme heat adaptation solutions.