Kirstin Matthews facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kirstin Matthews
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| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Health Science Center |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry, molecular biology |
| Institutions | James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy |
Kirstin Matthews is a scientist who works on how science and new discoveries can help people. She is a Fellow in Science and Technology Policy at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. This means she studies how new scientific ideas and technologies fit into public rules and laws.
Matthews earned her first degree in biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. Later, she received her PhD in molecular biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center. She has written many ideas and suggestions about important topics like stem cell research, climate change, and health care.
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Understanding Kirstin Matthews' Research
Kirstin Matthews works at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, which is part of Rice University in Houston, Texas. Her main job is to research how new science, especially in biotechnology, affects society and what rules should be made.
She looks into exciting new areas like regenerative medicine (which helps the body heal itself), vaccines (shots that protect us from diseases), and genomic research (studying our DNA). She also thinks about the ethical side of these new technologies. This means she considers what is right and fair when using them.
From 2004 to 2006, she led a special group that looked at how people in Texas could get health care. This group wrote reports about people who didn't have health insurance.
Her work has been very helpful to important groups like the National Institutes of Health and the United States Congress. They use her research when they make new laws and policies.
Sharing Ideas on the Baker Institute Blog
Besides her research, Kirstin Matthews also writes for a blog. This blog is called the Baker Institute Blog and is part of the Houston Chronicle newspaper. She shares her thoughts and findings on science and technology policy there.
Teaching Future Scientists
Kirstin Matthews also teaches at Rice University. She helps students learn about how science affects the public and the rules that guide it. Some of the courses she has taught include "Science at Risk? Out of the Lab and into the Public Sphere" and "Science Policy and Ethics."
Being Part of Science Groups
Kirstin Matthews is a member of several important science organizations. She has been part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 2003. She also joined the International Society for Stem Cell Research in 2007. These groups help scientists work together and share new discoveries.
In 2010, she was invited to talk about stem cell policy on a national TV show.
