CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIPS

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— Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government

IEEE-USA created the Congressional Fellowship program in 1973 to:

• further the effective use of scientific and technical knowledge in government;
  
• help educate the scientific and engineering community on the public policy process; and
  
• broaden the perspectives of the science, engineering and governmental communities regarding the value of such interaction.

The IEEE-USA Government Fellows Committee selects eligible IEEE members from a pool of applicants to serve a one-year fellowship. The fellowship consists of an appointment to the personal staff of a U.S. Senator or Congressman, or to the professional staff of a Congressional Committee.

Typically, IEEE-USA selects two (2) Congressional Fellows each year. Starting dates for the one-year Fellowship assignments are negotiated by the Fellow with the Congressional sponsor and IEEE-USA, although IEEE-USA recommends that Fellowship terms run from January to December.

Prior to beginning their fellowships, Fellows are enrolled in a multi-society, two-week orientation program organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The orientation takes place in Washington, D.C. at IEEE-USA's expense. The 2007 orientation occured on 5-18 September.

For more information on the AAAS Professional Development Program, visit these links:

- Summary of the 2007-08 Professional Development Program

- 2007-08 calendar of all AAAS Fellowship Events (workshops, seminars, meetings, other fellowship dates) (FYI - IEEE-USA Fellows are categorized as "Jan. starts" and need only be in Washingon for the orientation activities in September.)

- 2007-08 calendar of professional development workshops

SELECTION CRITERIA

To be considered for an IEEE-USA Congressional Fellowship, applicants must:

• Be a U.S. citizen at the time of selection.
• Be an IEEE member in good standing at Member grade or higher for at least two (2) years.
• BS and 10+ years professional experience; MS and 5+ years professional experience; or PhD/ Post-doc entering the workforce.

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of:

• technical competence,
  
• ability to serve in a public environment,
  
• basic comprehension and understanding of the public policy process, and
  
• evidence of service to IEEE and the engineering profession.

Additional criteria may be established by the selection committee. Specifically excluded as selection criteria are age, sex, creed, race, ethnic background, and partisan political affiliations.

STIPEND & TRAVEL

During the Fellowship year, IEEE-USA Congressional Fellows receive a Fellowship stipend of either $65,000 (MS and BS with experience) or $55,000 (Post Docs/ PhDs just entering the workforce). PhD's with work experience will receive the higher stipend. The Government Fellows Committee has the discretion to determine stipend levels based upon an applicant's experience.

IEEE-USA provides an additional supplementary allowance of $5,000 for travel and relocation expenses; this may be incorporated into the stipend if desired.  IEEE-USA will also reimburse reasonable pre-fellowship travel and lodging expenses (with prior approval) related to the AAAS fellowship orientation and assignment interviews.  The Fellows or their employers are responsible for the balance of salaries, benefits, and all other expenses.

FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

During their Fellowship year, the Fellows are required to provide IEEE-USA with three reports.

1. The first—the placement report, due at the end of January or the first month of the fellowship—highlights the Fellowship assignment and expectations for the year.

2. The second—the midyear report, due at the end of June or the sixth month of the fellowship—is a progress report highlighting the Fellows activities and achievements for the year to date.

3. The final report—due at the end of December or the twelfth month—summarizes the Fellowship experience and offers advice for prospective Fellows as well as recommendations to IEEE-USA regarding the Fellowship program.

The Fellowship reports provide helpful insight about the experience and what information on to expect in the different types of Fellowship assignments. The reports are published on-line and linked to the Fellows directory for quick reference.

THE FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE

The fellowship experience is intended to be both a learning experience for the Fellow, as well as an opportunity for an IEEE member to pass on her/his knowledge and experience to policymakers who may or may not have a science and technology background.

A successful Fellow:

• Performs professionally and completes projects
• Articulates needs in a constructive way
• Addresses challenges
• Takes initiative to obtain information to accomplish tasks and achieves fellowship goals
• Balances work time with learning time

For a quick introduction to the Congressional Fellowship program and experience from the Fellow's perspective, view A Year in Washington — Introduction to the IEEE-USA Congressional Fellowship Program. This 60 minute video is optimized to stream at 28.8Kbps. You'll need the RealPlayer 5.0 or above to view these video clips. AOL users must have version 3.0 or above of the AOL browser installed for the RealPlayer to work.

Another helpful resource is the AAAS publication:  "From the Lab to the Hill: Essays Celebrating 20 Years of Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows", which includes essays by IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow alumni Charles Bostian, LeEarl Bryant, Tom Fagan, George Swetnam and Don Willyard.

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Last Update: 23 October 2007