For 45 years, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) has worked with federal agencies and sponsoring scientific societies to provide opportunities to accomplished scientists and engineers to contribute to evidence-based policymaking, here and abroad. The success of the STPF program lies in these long-standing partnerships as well as the experiences of the 3,000+ fellows who are the lifeblood of the program. These are the stories of the people who live each day at the intersection of science and policy.
Scroll down to hear each of their inspiring stories.
The Story Collider
The Story Collider hosts dozens of live shows all over the country based on the simple premise that if science helps shape all of our lives, then everyone has science stories to tell. This show celebrates the unique experiences of STPF fellows. With no slides and no notes, five fellows will take the stage to spin a ten-minute true tale from their lives. Join us to hear personal accounts of the deeply human side of science research, training and policy.
The Science Policy Resource Fair
Along with storytelling, the evening will feature a science policy open house and networking reception with representatives from AAAS programs, partner scientific societies, science policy agencies and other organizations. Exhibit tabling begins at 6:00 p.m. and continues during the intermission. Join us for an exciting evening of compelling stories! Sponsored by AAAS.
Presenting Fellows:
Amber Hewitt
2016-17 American Psychological Association Legislative Branch Fellow, Office of Senator Cory Booker
2017-18 Executive Branch Fellow, National Institutes of Health
Before moving to Washington, Amber was a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Akron where she studied adolescent well-being. Amber received her doctorate in counseling psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2013. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology at Boston Medical Center in 2012. Amber is a proud Trojan and USC is her undergraduate alma mater. Originally from Shreveport LA, Amber enjoys all that DC offers.
Maynard Holliday
1995-96 Executive Branch Fellow, U.S. Agency for International Development
Maynard is a senior engineering and robotics professional in government and the private sector for the last 25+ years. He has extensive experience in managing interdisciplinary projects of international and commercial importance at Lawrence Livermore (LLNL) and Sandia National Labs, as well as various robotics start-ups in Silicon Valley. Maynard holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Design from Stanford University where he focused on robotics, international security and arms control. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He was a two-time finalist for the U.S. Astronaut Corp and is currently a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation.
Dorothy Jones-Davis
2012-14 Executive Branch Fellow, National Science Foundation
Dorothy Jones-Davis is the Executive Director of Nation of Makers, a national nonprofit whose mission is to support the full range of organizations that impact makers, by encouraging connections, broadly sharing resources, facilitating funding opportunities, engaging in policy development, and advocating for the maker movement. Prior to this, she was a co-founder and co-producer of the National Maker Faire and the DC Mini Maker Faire, and served as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Engineering. In this role, she investigated how the maker movement can be leveraged to improve access to engineering pathways for traditionally underrepresented populations. Dorothy is deeply interested in finding ways to create connections between a diversity of makers, leveraging their collective skills to harness solutions for the world’s challenges – grand and small. In her spare time, she enjoys building and making with her eight-year-old daughter.
Irina Pala
2014-16 Executive Branch Fellow, U.S. Department of State
Irina loves to sing, hunt for mushrooms and have picnics in the backyard with her son. She also likes to contribute to the advancement of Naval relevant science and technology research as a senior policy analyst in the Office of Naval Research. As an STPF fellow, she worked at the intersection of science, technology, innovation, education and foreign policy. She also initiated and developed international research and capacity building partnerships for science and innovation, with a focus on bringing more women and girls into STEM fields. Irina has a B.S. Degree in Chemistry from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Wayne State University. Her dissertation focused on metal chalcogenide nanoparticle gel networks, their formation mechanism and application for novel material generation and heavy metal water remediation via cation exchange reactions.
Maryam Zaringhalam
2017-18 Executive Branch Fellow, National Institutes of Health
Maryam tells the story of traveling to her parents’ native Iran after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.