APS/AIP Congressional Fellshp. Deadline Nears; New OSA/MRS

A reminder to FYI readers - if you are interested in the 1995-1996 AIP and APS Congressional Science Fellowships, or know someone who might be - the deadline is approaching! All application materials (letter of intent, resume of 2 pages or less, and three letters of recommendation) must be postmarked to the address specified below NO LATER THAN JANUARY 15, 1995.

In addition to the APS and AIP Fellowships, a new physics-related Fellowship has been established jointly by the Optical Society of America and the Materials Research Society. An application deadline for the OSA/MRS Fellowship has not yet been set; for further information, please contact Audrey Leath as specified below. Another AIP Member Society, the American Geophysical Union, also sponsors a Fellow annually. The AGU program has an application deadline of February 15; for more information, call Pat Azriel at (202)462-6900.

Candidates should have an interest in the policy aspects of science. To qualify for the APS and AIP Fellowships, you must have a Ph.D. in physics or a closely-related field, be a U.S. citizen, and be a member of APS or another of the AIP Member Societies. (The ten AIP Member Societies are: The American Physical Society, the Optical Society of America, the Acoustical Society of America, the Society of Rheology, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the American Crystallographic Association, the American Astronomical Society, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the American Vacuum Society, and the American Geophysical Union.) As stated in FYI #153, AIP and APS both sponsor Congressional Science Fellows annually. During their year on Capitol Hill, Fellows work in the office of a Member of Congress or on a congressional committee. Fellows gain an appreciation for the legislative process, while contributing to the analysis of science policy issues. The continual presence of Science Fellows on the Hill keeps lawmakers apprised of the interests and contributions of scientists. Although Fellows receive a stipend from their sponsoring institution, they act as free agents during their term and do not represent their society.

Approximately 25 professional societies sponsor Congressional Science Fellows under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS.) Former Fellows hold many prominent positions in the Administration - at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of Management and Budget, and key science and technology agencies - as well as on congressional staff. Others return to the science community and disseminate the knowledge gained from their experience.

For more information, please contact AIP program administrator Audrey Leath at atl@aip.org or (301) 209-3094.

APS/AIP APPLICATION MATERIALS ONLY SHOULD BE SENT TO: APS/AIP Congressional Science Fellowship Programs; 529 14th Street, NW; Suite 1050; Washington, DC, 20045. One application suffices for both Fellowship programs.