The Congressional Science Fellowship that I enjoyed in 1982-1983 has served my career in the environmental field in three ways so far.  First, it gave me an excellent introduction to the federal government and to environmental laws and programs in particular.  The time spent in Congress is highly valuable for learning how Washington operates and how various constituent groups, both inside and outside of government, affect public policy.  This experience led me directly to seek a position at the Environmental Protection Agency, and gave me a head start in learning about the significant policy issues in my field.  Second, having Hill experience is obviously an asset in Washington; for example, I have been asked to lead projects partly because of having such experience, and I frequently can offer comments or advice at work about relations with Congress and possible actions on the Hill.  Finally, the fellowship helped give me a certain confidence in dealing with difficult issues in the public arena.  Rather like a young conductor who is being trained in the opera pit, the Fellow goes through a multifaceted, high-pressure trial on the Hill which strengthens his/her resources for dealing with pressures such as deadlines, client demands, work overload, and diversity in a later job.

Arthur B. Weissman, AGU Congressional Science Fellow, 1982-1983.

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