2 November 2020
by: Neil Orman
For nearly 50 years, the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships have been a trusted avenue to give scientists and engineers first-hand experience with policymaking and to bring their scientific expertise into the federal government. This year alone, following an intensive virtual orientation, 284 scientists and engineers are currently serving one-year assignments in federal agencies, congressional offices and the Federal Judicial Center. The fellows are funded by federal agencies or sponsored by AAAS and other science and engineering disciplinary societies.
Two 2020-2021 fellows – Don Ufford, a retired automotive engineer now working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Odiney Álvarez-Campos, a soil and water scientist serving at the United States Agency for International Development – reflect on their new responsibilities and what they hope to gain from the fellowship experience.