Title:            Christine Mirzayan Science and 
Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship

Sponsor:          National Academies

SYNOPSIS:
  This Graduate Fellowship Program is designed to engage 
its Fellows in the analytical process that informs U.S. 
science and technology policy. Fellows develop basic 
skills essential to working or participating in science 
policy at the federal, state, or local levels.

Deadline(s):      11/01/2009
                   05/01/2010
Established Date: 11/13/2000
Follow-Up Date:   09/01/2010
Review Date:      09/21/2009

Address:          500 5th Street, NW
                   Room 508
                   Washington, DC 20001
                   U.S.A.
E-mail:           policyfellows@nas.edu 
  
Program URL: 
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/policyfellows/PGA_044687 
Tel:              202-334-2455
Fax:              202-334-1667
Deadline Ind:     Receipt
Deadline Open:    No
                   *See Restrictions for further 
information.

DEADLINE NOTE
  The deadline for receipt of application material is 
November 1 for the winter/spring program and May 1 for the 
fall program.

Award Type(s):    Fellowship

Citizenship/Country of Applying Institution: Any/No 
Restrictions

Locations Tenable:    U.S.A. Institution (including U.S. 
Territories)

Appl Type(s):     Graduate Student,  Postdoctoral,  Young 
Investigator/Junior Faculty

Target Group(s):  NONE
Funding Limit:    $8,240   SEEBELOW
Duration:         12 WEEK(s)
Indirect Costs:   Unspecified
Cost Sharing:     No
Sponsor Type:     Professional/Academic Assoc & Soc.

Geo. Restricted:  NO RESTRICTIONS

OBJECTIVES:
  During the program, fellows engage in studies and 
activities throughout the National Academies. Some 
examples of projects fellows conducted include developing: 
An outline of themes of leading research in remote sensing 
applications; A workshop on how scientists in developing 
countries can take better advantage of the new wireless 
communication networks to gain access to the Internet; and 
A background paper on the current state of knowledge about 
the demography of street-children, and on what is known 
about the cost and
effectiveness of existing programs to help street-children 
and orphans in the U.S. and abroad. Each fellow is 
assigned to a senior staff member who acts as his or her 
mentor. The mentor provides guidance and ensures that the 
fellows time is focused on substantive projects and 
activities. The first week of the fellowship program, the 
fellows spend the morning gaining a better understanding 
of how the National Academies work and
the fundamentals of science and technology policy 
analysis. In addition, the fellows are briefed by 
organizations in Washington other than the National 
Academies who influence, make, or report on science
and technology policy.
  A continuing activity of the fellowship program that 
begins during orientation week is a seminar series that is 
developed, designed, and implemented by the fellows 
themselves. During the first week, fellows
select three science and technology policy topics where 
there is controversy to be the topics of their seminars. 
They then break into groups to refine the topic, determine 
the category and identification of speakers, and develop a 
plan of action. After that week, the plan of action is 
implemented with each group running the seminars that 
occur the month before the program ends. The purpose of 
this exercise is for the fellows to gain a better 
understanding of committee dynamics, similar to that in 
which National Academies committee engage, and a better 
understanding of the challenges of putting together an 
activity similar to that of a congressional hearing or a 
panel discussion at a committee meeting.  After the first 
week, the fellows training and educational experience 
continues and includes weekly events such as lunches with 
each of the three Academies presidents, field trips, 
briefings, as well as seminar series development and 
collaboration. Fellows are encouraged to independently 
seek activities outside the National Academies as well. 
These activities can include congressional hearings, 
seminars at other think tanks, shadowing federal officials 
or others involved in S&T policy to observe their 
activities, etc.

ELIGIBILITY
  Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars and those 
who have completed graduate studies or postdoctoral 
research in any social/behavioral science, medical/health 
discipline, physical or biological science, any field of 
engineering, law/business/public administration or any 
relevant interdisciplinary field within the last five 
years are eligible to apply. The program takes place in 
Washington, D.C. and is open to all U.S. and non-U.S. 
citizens who meet the criteria. However, non-U.S. citizens 
must be currently enrolled in a U.S. university and have 
proof of holding a valid J-1 or F-1 status.

FUNDING
  A stipend grant award of $8,240 will be provided for the 
12-week session to offset expenses.