SCIENCE POLICY AND COMMUNICATION AWARDS
AGU Congressional Science Fellow

Orientation

Fellows will take part in an intensive two-week orientation program organized by AAAS. The orientation program provides exposure to various aspects of the legislative process, to pertinent issues before Congress, and to many agencies and organizations interacting with Congress at various levels. Following orientation, the Fellow will interview with congressional offices and accept an offer for a position in a personal office or committee.

Job Duties

Past Fellows have performed every type of work normally asked of permanent congressional staff, whether they are in personal offices or with committees. Activities may range from assisting in the preparation of major parts of authorization bills, writing press releases or speeches for members of Congress on a wide range of topics, answering constituent mail, preparing members of Congress for legislative debates on the floors of the House and the Senate, or meeting with lobbyists, special interest groups or agency representatives.

Fellows also write short articles or share their experiences in other formats throughout their fellowship year, for use in various AGU communication vehicles.

Fellowship Term

Fellowships are for one year. The Fellowship year for Congressional Fellows usually begins the Wednesday after Labor Day with an orientation program organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Hear from the Fellows

Career Impact
Watch former fellows Timia Crisp (2015-16) and Karen Akerlof (2016-17) talk about their experiences, why they applied, and how the fellowship has impacted their careers.
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First Hand Experience
For more first-hand experience, read an interview with Anja Brandon, our 2020-21 fellow, who shares her experience working in Senator Merkley’s (OR-D) office and writing plastics legislation.

From Scientist to Staffer
Learn more about our 2021-2022 Fellow Sarah Alexander and her journey from scientist to staffer on AGU's Bridge Blog.