Research Opportunities at Think Tanks

The Brookings Institution, the Heritage Foundation and other think tanks in Washington hire many of their top researchers from academia, as well as government.

Think tanks researchers influence public opinion and public policy, which is a very different focus from traditional academic research at a university, says Christopher Foreman, a non-resident senior fellow at Brookings, who also works as tenured professor at the University of Maryland College Park's School of Public Affairs.

"The research has to be very timely and policy focused, and these days, of interest to an external fundraiser," Foreman says. "It's very much a contract research world."

"The nice thing about the Brookings Institution is that it's a much better platform if I want to try to be influential in Washington's policy debates. It behooves me to do that wearing my Brookings hat rather than my University of Maryland hat," he says. "Think tanks like to help drive policy ... my sense is the greatest influence you could have as a think tank scholar is when you are placed in the position of shooting down bad ideas."

Foreman started working at Brookings as a research associate in 1989. Then he moved into the role of senior fellow for about six years. He joined the University of Maryland faculty before switching to his current non-resident role at Brookings. Both roles give Foreman the opportunity to interact with other scholars.

Tenured faculty positions at universities offer a sense of security and support that is not found at think tanks where research is fueled by short-term outside funding.

"I like the teaching, I like the freedom," Foreman says of being a professor at the University of Maryland.

He advises Ph.D. students to begin their careers in a university setting first, because the research and publishing experiences developed at a university are valued at a think tank, but the reverse is not always true. Think tanks are often focused on influencing public opinion by contributing to news, policy briefs and Internet chats, all areas that Foreman says have "almost no value" at universities.

There are several tiers research positions in think tanks, according to Deborah Hoover, director of human resources for the Urban Institute. The top level, such as senior fellow or research fellow, are appointed because they hold outstanding credentials as nationally recognized experts in their field.

The second layer consists of experienced researchers who work as policy center directors or policy research chiefs. These candidates are found primarily through informal networks, prestigious academic programs and government-related organizations.

"It's primarily about relationships, and reputation, and word of mouth," Hoover says. "I'm not running ads in mass media outlets."

Another group, known as principal research associates, have no management responsibilities, but are also considered to be in the second tier. These researchers almost always have Ph.D.s.

The third level from the top is senior associate, and this group typically includes Ph.D. level researchers. Many of these think tank members are also affiliated with a university, often in an adjunct teaching capacity. About half of these researchers came from academia, while the other half is promoted from within the think tank.

The least competitive entry point is at a research associate level, often beginning directly after completing a Ph.D. Some research associates are hired with a master's degree and about five years of high-level research experience, Hoover says.

The role is distinct from a professor's role. Think tanks don't have the same teaching and community service missions, and part of the researcher's time is spent writing proposals to fund the research.

"There has to be an audience for what you're writing," she says. "In academia, you can do a paper on a model, and 10 people read it - and that's okay. Here, 10 people have to be willing to pay for that model."

Hoover advises doctoral students who are thinking about working for a think tank to choose a dissertation topic very carefully, balancing their own interest with the areas think tanks pursue.

"Do something you care about, because you spend so much time on it ... and be able to tell me how your work meshes with our institution's work," Hoover says.

Editor's note: This article by Kathleen Brill, was acquired by washingtonpost.com on March 7, 2003.