Congressional Science & Engineering Fellows spend a year on Capitol Hill helping to research and draft legislation and provide input on policy review and oversight. Placement opportunities are in the offices of Members of Congress and in Congressional Committees.
AAAS is one of over 30 scientific and engineering societies that sponsor Congressional Science & Engineering Fellowships. We encourage applicants who are interested in the legislative branch to apply for a fellowship placement through AAAS as well as through a partner society. AAAS sponsors two (2) legislative branch fellowships each year. AAAS administers the placement process and professional development program for all Congressional Science & Engineering Fellows.
In addition to the two legislative branch placements offered by AAAS, there is a third legislative branch placement for those applicants who have a background in climate science, especially the ocean and marine sciences. (Details can be found on the online application at Step 6.)
Program Manager
Fellowship experiences can vary considerably from one branch to another, between agencies, and even among offices within the same agency. Read the stories of some congressional fellows below. Click here to learn about other fellowships.
Christine Rovner
crovner@aaas.org
What do fellows in the Congressional Science & Engineering Fellows® program do?
Fellows serve alongside congressional staff bringing scientific rigor and expertise to a wide variety of activities including:
• Briefing Members of Congress and staff on scientific and technical topics.
• Meeting with constituents and special interest groups.
• Writing issue and policy briefs, talking points, speeches, and press releases.
• Drafting and negotiating text for legislation.
• Staffing budget authorization bills from preliminary agency reviews to House-Senate conferences.
• Coordinating oversight investigations.
• Planning and implementing events in Washington and in congressional districts.
• Organizing hearings.
