The Fellowship provides scientists with the opportunity to work in a House of Representatives or Senate office in Washington, D.C. for one year. Fellows are eagerly sought after by congressional offices, who bid for their services. They provide scientific knowledge and expertise as part of the process of developing sound public policy. At the same time, they learn first hand about the legislative and political process. Past AGU Congressional Science Fellows have worked directly on high priority issues, including water policy, climate research, and energy conservation. Many former Fellows remain active in the policy arena following their experiences on Capitol Hill.
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a society of nearly 39,000 members in the Earth, space, atmospheric, and oceanic sciences. AGU sponsors one Congressional Science Fellow each year. The program is highly competitive, and Amerson, who will be AGU's 26th Fellow, was selected from a pool of unusually strong applicants. The fellowship program is sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Amerson expects to receive her Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering this summer. Her dissertation focuses on the environmental impact of the gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). She is an active member of the community, volunteering with the Oregon Food Bank and teaching science to middle school students. In applying for the Congressional Science Fellowship, Amerson noted that its appeal lay in the "…unique opportunity to blend these interests on behalf of our country and to contribute [her] education, skills, experience, and perspective to Congressional issues."
For additional information about the AGU Congressional Science Fellowship visit http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/sci_pol.html.