FASEB Science Policy Fellowship

FASEB's Science Policy Fellowship is a competitive three-month program for trainees (graduate students or postdocs) who are interested in pursuing projects that embody policy development, government relations and advocacy, policy research, coalition building, and clear writing. 

Working within the FASEB Office of Public Affairs (OPA), Fellows will receive an introduction to issues and perspectives in biomedical research policy by working with the leadership and staff of the Federation and its member societies. They may also interact with federal agencies, Congress, other scientific associations, and advocates for research such as the Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of American Universities, and Association of Public Land-grant Universities.

Our Science Policy Fellowships enable each participant to make meaningful contributions to at least one major project that will serve as a demonstration of their contributions to the OPA mission.

The ideal project will be one that is consistent with current OPA agenda and matches the Fellow’s interests, experience, and career goals. Examples of projects undertaken by recent Fellows include:

Assisting with organizing a conference/workshop for scientists on such topics as the role of basic scientists in clinical/translational research, international perspectives on combating animal rights extremism, laboratory management, and rigor and reproducibility in science
Developing responses to regulatory proposals from federal agencies
Creating tools and resources for the scientific community to use in advocacy activities

Fellows do not receive a stipend/salary or benefits from FASEB. Eligibility of international scholars depends upon visa status.

Fellowship Application Requirements

Selected applicants must have strong written and oral communication skills, an interest in science policy, and attention to detail. Fellows must complete a Memorandum of Understanding with FASEB that establishes the home institution’s awareness of the trainee’s participation in the Fellowship, acknowledges that the Fellow is not an employee of FASEB, and defines the start and end dates of the Fellowship and work schedule (minimum 3 days/week).

Interested?

Inquire about applying

What Past Fellows Are Saying

The FASEB Fellowship was instrumental in launching my career in policy, and I would not be where I am now without the opportunities it provided. My time at FASEB, working on mitigating the risk of animal rights extremism, highlighted the central role FASEB plays in working with a broad set of stakeholders to advance policies that impact science. It sparked my passion for science policy, a career I continue to love to this day.

Greg Frank, PhD Director of Global Public Policy, Merck

What Past Fellows Are Saying

The FASEB Science Policy Fellowship Program has been instrumental in helping me kick off my science policy career. The Fellowship allowed me to gain much needed experience in science policy writing and gave me a chance to see the breadth of challenges and issues in the science policy sphere.

Tianlu Ma, PhD Science Policy Analyst, Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

What Past Fellows Are Saying

My FASEB Science Policy Fellowship was the most impactful professional development experience I have ever had. I started with essentially no policy knowledge or experience and I left with the knowledge, network, and confidence to continue science advocacy at home and to pursue a science policy career after my PhD

Edna Chiang, PhD Candidate NSF Graduate Research Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison