Placement Report to the
IEEE-USA Government Fellowship Committee

Steve E. Watkins, Ph.D.

February 2004

My IEEE-USA Congressional Fellowship year will be spent in the office of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher. He is a Republican representative from the 46th District in California. As a member of the House Science Committee, he serves as the chair of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics and as a member of the House Research Subcommittee. 

I will serve as a legislative assistant with responsibility for technical issues related to the district, for committee issues in the areas of science, armed services, and natural resources, and for science-based questions in general. In particular, I collaborate with a member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee staff who is chair's designee and I track the activities of the Research Subcommittee. These committees are responsible for oversight of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Priority issues during the year are expected to include the new focus at NASA, commercial space initiatives, technological innovation, and budgets in general.

My orientation and preparation for the assignment consisted of the September AAAS Fellowship Orientation, conversations with past fellows, and personal research regarding candidate Congressional offices. 

(1) The AAAS Orientation was useful in establishing a network among current and prior Congressional Fellows, in understanding the everyday nature of legislative work, and in identifying resources for the fellowship year. I believe that the Congressional Research Service will be among the most helpful resources discussed in the program. While generally well organized, the AAAS Orientation is clearly geared toward fellows just finishing doctoral or postdoctoral work in science and shows a bias for Democratic opinion at times. Also, the AAAS does not generate sufficient interest in the Republican offices as potential placement for fellows.

(2) Conversations with past fellows were extremely valuable to learn differences in typical work environments. For instance, the placements in the Senate and the House can have different expectations and placements in member and committee offices can affect the scope of work responsibilities. In my case, I preferred to have more frequent contact with a member and to experience the legislative process across a range of issues. Consequently, I sought out an assignment in the personal office of a House member.

(3) Research regarding candidate offices had a large influence on my choice of assignment. In particular, I wanted to contribute to an office that was consistent with my own political beliefs. Contact with past fellows, voting records, and member committee assignments were important. Congressman Rohrabacher has a sustained interest in fellows, he gives his fellows significant responsibility, and he holds senior positions on the House Science Committee.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers - United States of America