ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program, now in its 16th year, provides graduate students with the opportunity to spend 12 weeks in Washington, DC learning about science policy, communicating science to the public, and the role that scientists and engineers play in advising the nation.

Each year, applicants from around the world become part of a National Academies committee or board.  They work for a mentor on current Academies’ projects and learn about the world of science and technology policy.  An immersive experience, the program is designed to broaden fellows’ appreciation of employment opportunities outside academia and leave them with both a firm grasp of the important and dynamic role of science in decision-making and a better understanding of the role that they can play in strengthening the science and technology enterprise for the betterment of mankind.

Alumni of the program hold positions in Congressional committees such as the House Science and Technology Committee and at federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of State, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, United States Agency for International Development, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy. They also work in foreign governments, in international institutions such as the European Union and World Bank, in universities, and in the private sector.

Learn more about the program.