Fellowship opportunities to get into Science policy

If you know one that is not listed, please enlighten us, send an email

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships
The Fellowships help to establish and nurture critical links between federal decision-makers and scientific professionals to support public policy that benefits the wellbeing of the nation and the planet. The Fellowships are designed to: educate scientists and engineers on the intricacies of federal policymaking; provide scientific expertise and analysis to support decision-makers confronting increasingly complex scientific and technical issues; foster positive exchange between scientists and policymakers; empower scientists and engineers to conduct policy-relevant research and other activities that address challenges facing society; and increase the involvement and visibility of scientists and engineers in the public policy realm.

National Academies Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program
The Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program of the National Academies is designed to engage graduate science, engineering, medical, veterinary, business, public policy, and law students in the analytical process that informs the creation of national policy-making with a science/technology element. As a result, students develop basic skills essential to working in the world of science policy.

NOAA Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
The National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, established in 1979, provides a unique educational experience to students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The program matches highly qualified graduate students with "hosts" in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid fellowship.

Harvard Sustainability Science Fellowship.
This is a doctoral or post doc fellowship. Harvard's Sustainability Science Program harnesses the University's strengths to promote the design of institutions, policies, and practices that support sustainable development. The Program addresses the challenge of sustainable development by: advancing scientific understanding of human-environment systems, improving linkages between research and policy communities, and building capacity for linking knowledge with action to promote sustainability.

Guidelines on how to host a speaker

Here are some general guidelines on what you need to do to host a speaker:
  • general invitation letter
  • after the invitation
  • email announcements
  • day-of preparation
  • reimbursements
  • other random information


    SAMPLE INVITATION LETTER

    Dear ----,

    I am a graduate student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. I understand that you plan to visit Scripps in March for a climate scientists and journalist workshop, and I was wondering if you might be willing to meet informally with students while you are here.

    I am part of a group of graduate students at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who have recently founded a seminar series dealing with science and policy issues. We are bringing in speakers regularly during the school year, both people who have scientific Ph.D.s and have pursued non-academic careers in government, non-profits, or industry, as well as specialists in related fields such as environmental law or scientific journalism. Part of our goal is to expose students to viable career options for scientists outside of academia. [We would like to invite you to speak to this group because...i.e. "We would like to invite you to speak to this group about how you interact with the scientific community and we, as aspiring scientists, can be more effective in working with the media."]

    Would you be interested in coming to SIO to give a talk at our environmental policy seminar? If so, we'd also love to invite you to join a small group of student for either lunch or dinner in order to have some more informal discussion. [If we've agreed to offer funding..."We'd be happy to pay for your travel expenses to come."]

    Thank you very much/Sincerely,

    Surfer Extraordinaire



    AFTER THE INVITATION

    Schedule a room for the seminar:

    Negotiate a topic with the speaker (generally ask them to plan on talking for 30-45 minutes, with 15-20 minutes for questions/informal conversation).

    Help arrange any travel plans.

    Arrange for a parking permit in the grad office.

    Information you need from the speaker:
  • full name and title
  • talk title and abstract
  • biography (for the introduction)

    Send them a map if they are coming on their own.

    Check about A/V needs with speaker. You may need to reserve an LCD projector as well. You can get it at the grad office. Check whether they'll be bringing their own laptop or expect you to provide a computer.



    EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS

    By Wednesday before the talk: submit an announcement to Jill Ives jhammons@ucsd.edu to go into the SIO log.

    By Friday before the talk: submit an announcement to:
  • env-policy@sio.ucsd.edu
  • Student-Politics@sio.ucsd.edu
  • irps-events@ucsd.edu
  • possibly also students@sio.ucsd.edu, postdocs@sio.ucsd.edu, and all-at- sio@sio.ucsd.edu.

    A day before the talk:
  • send a reminder to the env-policy listserve
  • organize a student dinner/lunch with speaker (generally an email to the env-policy listserve is sufficient)
  • get food/sodas for the talk. In order to get reimbursed, you will need an itemized receipt and an estimate of the number of people who attended the talk.


    DAY-OF PREPARATION

    Half an hour before the talk:
  • get the room key
  • set up projector
  • set up snack foods


    REIMBURSEMENTS

    Before inviting a speaker, you need to negotiate with the environmental policy group what costs can be covered (whether that's airfare, gas reimbursement coming from L.A., student dinner, etc.).

    Speakers and student hosts will have to submit receipts for reimbursement to Kay-Marie Johns in the Director's Office. Generally she needs all receipts, name, social security number, address to which the check is to be sent, and name of the seminar series.

    In order to get reimbursed for food, you will need an itemized receipt (not just the charge slip showing the total) and the names of the people attending a dinner or the approximate number of people attending the seminar.


    OTHER RANDOM INFORMATION

    Hotels with which SIO has an agreement for good rates: The Sea Lodge and Hotel La Jolla. You have to call those hotels and tell them you are with SIO and ask for the rates (depend on the season). Try The Sea Lodge first.

    Ideas for a student dinner/lunch:
  • India Palace at the corner of Pearl and Girard. Quiet, round tables conducive to conversation.
  • BJs Pizza: La Jolla Village. Loud, jovial.
  • Spice and Rice: Thai food in downtown La Jolla.
  • Lorna's Italian Restaurant, in the Von's shopping center on the corner of Genesee and Governor.
  • Cheese Shop for lunch: La Jolla Shores. Need to pick up.
  • Cups. Great for showing off SIO.

    link to old meeting minutes