Ben Kallen is one of Lewis-Burke’s key contacts for federal science policy in the physical sciences. He has led firm-wide and client-specific engagement on emerging federal science priority areas, including quantum information science and space weather research. Ben relies on a keen understanding of agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliver advanced intelligence on forthcoming opportunities and help clients deepen their connections to the federal research and development enterprise. His advocacy has successfully increased funding for previously neglected programs, such as NASA Heliophysics, through the appropriations process and his work with congressional staff has strengthened support for client priorities such as applied mathematics in authorizing legislation.
Issue Areas: Space sciences, space technology, aeronautics, fundamental energy science and early-stage energy technology development, high-performance computing, applied mathematics and computational sciences, environmental research, international science, and engineering.
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Ben gained experience in legislative affairs as well as science and business advocacy in the office of Senator Barbara Boxer and at the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), a trade association that promotes the policy interests of the space industry. Through these experiences, Ben developed and honed valuable research and analytical skills while gaining an understanding of the complex political trends affecting national science and education policy.
Vital Statistics: Originally from Los Angeles, Ben moved to Missouri to attend Washington University in St. Louis, where he pursued an innate passion for public policy. He graduated cum laude with Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science in 2013 and moved to Washington, DC shortly thereafter. He and his wife, Laura, love their adopted home city and spend much of their free time renovating their fixer-upper row house in Northeast DC.