This fellowship is a genuine opportunity.  I came to Washington with expectations of playing a role in some of the issues facing Congress.  Having worked only in scientific research for the past 8 years and having no experience in public policy, I faced an enormous challenge.  I arrived in Washington in late August to find policymakers scrambling about trying to keep pace with the changing global environment.  This was exemplified during my 1-month orientation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  We Fellows undergoing the orientation--scientists and engineers from different fields--heard from policy specialists on issues facing the 102nd Congress.  It is no exaggeration to say that our guest lecturers were literally searching for words.  Their prepared talks on national security and foreign policy issues were outdated overnight.

On the domestic front, Congress is busy defining issues that will shape the upcoming presidential election.  Pressing issues include the federal budget and deficit, restructuring the budget agreement, the national energy strategy, tax relief for the middle class, trade policies, education reform, U.S. competitiveness, federal investments in private sector research and development, technology transfer from national laboratories to the private sector, the environment and global change, nuclear waste cleanup and storage, national health insurance, and the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

Another dynamic process happening on the Hill--and around the country--is the fallout of the Clarence Thomas hearings.  After disappointing events in the Senate, the public is aware now more than ever that women should play an integral part in our political system.  Potential female-canidates are organizing for the upcoming congressional elections.

After hearing about some of these issues at my AAAS orientation, followed by 3 weeks of intensive interviews with prospective congressional offices, I landed on my feet in the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, chaired by John Glenn (D-Ohio).  My primary objective was to participate in science and math education issues, but I've gotten more than I bargained for.  There are many other interesting issues that require input from a scientific perspective.  And if you enjoy learning as much as I do, you find yourself reading about issues ranging from export controls to energy conservation technology.  Moreover, the volume of resources available to a congressional staffer is overwhelming.  I find Capitol Hill a very exciting place to work.

Thus far, my activities have included planning a committee hearing on the federal government's role in the development of energy conservation.  This hearing will serve as a forum for the committee to examine state-of-the-art energy conservation technologies.

I am also working on issues related to the Chemical Weapons Convention negotiations, a multilateral effort to ban the use and possession of chemical weapons.  The United States has recently tightened its export control regime for dual-use commodities, which can be used to construct chemical and biological weapons.  I am currently analyzing the state of our new export control system.

My third project involves planning a committee hearing on science and math education reform and the federal initiative.  Funding for science and math education has expanded significantly for FY 1992 and is expected to increase for FY 1993.  In this hearing, the committee will examine the new science and math education programs of federal agencies.

Every workday as a congressional Fellow proves to be a new learning experience.  I anticipate that my responsibilities in the second session of the 102nd Congress will continue to be challenging.

Vivian Pan, AGU Congressional Science Fellow, 1991-1992

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