As an undergraduate, Steven M. Moss struggled to choose between studying chemistry or political science. He settled on chemistry, eventually earning his PhD in chemistry and chemical biology at the University of California, San Francisco. His interest in political science did not go away, however, and now he has combined these two areas of interest in his work as a Program Officer at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
Moss grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where his father worked as a biology professor at a small liberal arts college called Wofford College. “Because my dad was a science professor, my first exposure to science was at a fairly young age. I had lots of opportunity to explore microscopes and petri dishes starting in elementary school. From there, I really enjoyed my chemistry class in high school, and chose to continue in college,” he shares.
When he started his undergraduate studies at American University in Washington, DC, he had not yet chosen a major. “During college I was still deciding between political science and chemistry,” Moss says. “I happened to be taking political philosophy and organic chemistry in the same semester, and I liked organic chemistry a lot more, so I took it as a sign.” He earned his bachelor of science degree in biochemistry, and then continued on to pursue his PhD at the University of California, San Francisco. “In grad school I chose to pursue chemical biology because I was really interested in understanding the chemical underpinnings of biological systems,” he explains.
Given his interest in political science, it is unsurprising that Moss decided to pursue a career in science policy. He currently serves as a Program Officer at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). His projects are wide-ranging. Currently he is working on a plan for the future of research for biological science in space, a study on fundamental chemical research and its impact on the chemical economy, a workshop on the future of quantum sensing and imaging for use in biology, a study on the future of biological physics, and a series of workshops on bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
Working on such a diverse set of projects means that Moss is not always an expert on the topics he is tackling. This can be a big challenge but is also an opportunity for him to expand his knowledge base. “I recently ran a workshop on quantum sensing and imaging for biology. I knew next to nothing about quantum physics going into the workshop,” he shares.
“By the time we put the workshop together and had everything planned, I was ‘conversational’ in quantum mechanics, which felt like a big step for me.”
The most rewarding aspect of his career is seeing the suggestions made in NASEM’s reports turn into action within the larger STEM community. “Sometimes this happens slowly over time, and sometimes it happens very quickly. For example, in a report we put out on ‘Safeguarding the Bioeconomy,’ we put together a lot of suggestions to keep the United States competitive in the growing bioeconomy, while still maintaining safety and security,” Moss explains. “Some of these main recommendations were acted on quickly, like the formation of a group to look at bio-related cybersecurity issues, and some took a lot more time, but seem to be slowly coming to fruition.”
“One of the most exciting aspects of the life sciences is the large amount of data that is becoming available to the biological community. I feel like lots of opportunities are opening up for analyzing and using this data that could help us understand a lot about the quantitative underpinnings of biological systems,” he says. From the point of view of someone working outside of basic research, Moss sees the value biophysicists bring to the future of science. “I think anytime the scientific community is using chemical or physical sciences to better understand biological systems, it adds a huge amount of knowledge and depth to the life sciences community,” he shares. “I believe that this type of science that is collaborative in nature is the future of all scientific endeavors.”
The Biophysical Society’s 2020 Annual Meeting in San Diego was Moss’s last scientific conference before the COVID-19 pandemic first shut down travel and in-person meetings, and it was also his first BPS meeting. “I think the meetings for the Society are particularly special,” he explains. “I was particularly struck by the mixture of talks and sessions on science, policy, and education. Also, even though it is a huge community of people, it still seems quite tight knit, which I think is really special.”
Outside of work, he volunteers for scientific societies, including BPS—he serves on the Public Affairs Committee. He also serves as a judge for the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition. “In addition to this, I enjoy working out, reading, watching true-crime documentaries, and playing with my dog, a Shih Tzu named Bagel,” Moss shares.
To folks just starting out in their scientific careers, he suggests: “Be open to whatever career options end up being most interesting to you. There are lots of opportunities in academia, industry, science communications, science policy, and so many other places. It is worth taking time during your academic career to explore what is available to you outside of the lab.”