About the Jefferson Science Fellowship                 

Tenured academic scientists and engineers from U.S. institutions of higher learning are eligible for selection to be Jefferson Science Fellows. Each Fellow will spend one year at the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for an on-site assignment in Washington, D.C. that may also involve extended stays at U.S. foreign embassies and/or missions. All JSF assignments will be designed in consultation with regional and/or functional bureaus within the U.S. Department of State/USAID. While in general JSF assignments will involve providing up-to-date expertise in the rapidly advancing STE arenas that routinely impact the policy decisions encountered by the U.S. Department of State/USAID, each Fellow will also be expected to become conversant with the functional operation of the U.S. Department of State/USAID. In doing so, the JSF program complements and enhances the existing efforts by both the continuing employees within the U.S. Department of State/USAID and other temporary fellows supported by non-governmental organizations who address STE issues. Following the fellowship year, the Jefferson Science Fellow will return to his/her academic career, but will remain available to the U.S. Department of State/USAID for short-term projects over the following five years.