AIP Increases the Number of Congressional Fellows for 2009
The American Institute of Physics will be selecting an additional Congressional Fellow to work on Capitol Hill starting in the Fall of 2009. The expansion of the AIP Congressional Fellowship program from one Fellow to two Fellows is made possible due to increased support from two of the AIP Member Societies: the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces and Processing . One Fellow will be sponsored by AIP and ASA, and the second Fellow will be sponsored by AIP and AVS.
Next year will be an exciting time on Capitol Hill, with new faces and new ideas. Are you interested in experiencing this dynamic atmosphere from the inside? Members of the physics community who want to spend a unique year learning about the inner workings of the federal government while getting involved on a personal level should consider applying to the American Institute of Physics Congressional Science Fellowship Program.
Congressional Fellowships are an opportunity to make a difference for physicists who want to apply their knowledge and skills beyond the lab bench and who believe there is a need for technical advice and analysis in the conduct of national policy. After a two-week orientation in Washington, Fellows work with congressional offices to select an assignment in the office of a Member of Congress or for a congressional committee. Recent Fellows have contributed their talents to issues as diverse as energy efficiency, nuclear waste and power safety, digital music copyrights, homeland security, Native American issues, and judicial misconduct. Many former Fellows have gone on to help craft Administration science policy by serving in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy or in federal S&T departments and agencies. Others return to academia or industry, while some accept permanent staff positions on Capitol Hill.
This program enables qualified, highly-motivated scientists to actively participate in the Congressional policymaking process. Fellows gain insight into the workings of government, learn how to contribute their voices and knowledge to the policymaking process, and perform a public service by providing skilled support to inform policy decisions.
Qualifications include:
Excellent scientific credentials; A PhD in a technical field defined by the scope of the activities of AIP’s Member Societies. PhD requirement waived for outstanding candidates with equivalent research experience.
U.S. citizenship and membership in any of the ten AIP Member Societies.
Interest or experience in applying scientific knowledge to the solution of societal problems.
Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills.
Sound judgment and maturity in decision-making.
Applications are due by January 15. Application Instructions can be found here .
The need for dialogue between the science community and the federal government has never been greater. Scientists of all ages and career levels are encouraged to apply. For more information: Jennifer Greenamoyer, (301) 209-3104, jgreenamoyer@aip.org
