Congressional Fellowships Available for PhD Scientists

Are you fascinated by the ongoing drama of Tuesday’s election? During the campaign, did you like what you heard on the future of the nation’s science and technology policy? Do you wish you had heard more? For those scientists who want to make a personal contribution to the policy of the nation, the AIP and APS Congressional Science Fellowships enable you to spend a year as a legislative assistant, contributing scientific expertise to a Member of Congress or a congressional committee.

For PhD physicists who want to apply their knowledge and skills beyond the lab bench, who believe there is a need for technical advice and analysis in the conduct of national policy, this is an opportunity to make a difference. The American Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society are now seeking applicants for their 2001-2002 Congressional Science Fellowship selections.

The federal government funds about 30 percent of the nation’s R&D,and almost 60 percent of basic research. Lawmakers rarely have scientific backgrounds, yet they write funding bills and establish national policy on many issues which affect science and technology, or are affected by it. Members of Congress often rely on their staffs for technical know-how. Through the Congressional Science Fellowships, AIP and APS seek to perform a public service by helping provide this much-needed expertise. “Staff make lots of key decisions [and] wield a lot of influence behind the scenes,” says former APS Fellow Peter Rooney, who worked for Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) -- at latest report, still potentially the nation’s next Vice President.

Since 1988, AIP has been one of the 20-30 professional societies which sponsor Fellows annually under a program organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. APS has participated in the program since its inception in 1973. Two other AIP Member Societies, the American Geophysical Union and the Optical Society of America, also sponsor Fellows under the AAAS program.

Readers interested in applying to the AIP and APS Fellowships should have a PhD in physics or a closely related field. In exceptional cases, the PhD requirement may be waived for candidates with compensating research experience. While a Fellow must have the scientific qualifications to be a credible representative of the science community on Capitol Hill, he or she should also have demonstrated an interest in broader societal concerns, and the application of science to their solutions. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, APS members for the APS Fellowship, and members of one or more of the ten AIP Member Societies for the AIP Fellowship. If the membership requirements are met, one application suffices for both the AIP and APS programs.

APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR AIP AND APS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY JANUARY 15, 2001. TO APPLY, AND FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE THE WEB SITES BELOW:

For AIP: http://www.aip.org/pubinfo
For APS: http://www.aps.org/public_affairs/fellow.html
For AGU: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/congress_fellow.html
For OSA: http://www.osa.org/aboutosa/policy/news/intro.htm