Congressional Science Fellowship Committee

Congressional Science Fellowship Committee

Committee members

Name	Institution	Committee Role
Karen Akerlof	George Mason University Fairfax	Chair
Timia Crisp	U.S. House of Representatives	Member
Kathryn (Katie) Harris	BlueGreen Alliance	Member
Ian Lloyd	U.S. Department of State	Member
Katalyn (Kate) Voss	University of California, Santa Barbara	Member
Kevin Vranes	Salesforce	Member
Mark Wenzel	California Energy Commission	Member
Gifford Wong	IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute	Member
Elizabeth Landau	AGU	Staff Partner; Director, Science Policy & Government Relations

Committee overview and initiatives

This committee supports the Congressional Science Fellowship (CSF) program by selecting the new Congressional Science Fellow each year and promoting the fellowship experience and long-term engagement in the fellowship program. The committee reports to the AGU Board and the Council. Key duties:

1

Conduct the selection process of the AGU Congressional Science Fellowship in coordination with the appropriate AGU staff.
2

Determine ways to improve the Congressional Fellow experience and advance the CSF program.
3

Serve on CSF interview panel, if in the Washington, D.C. area, or on the review panel and review and provide input to interview questions
4

Provide a support network for current, recent, and former fellows.
5

Engage with AGU as needed throughout the year on related policy or fellowship issues.

CVD participants in front of the capitol building

Committee Charge

The Congressional Science Fellowship Committee selects the Congressional Science Fellow each year. The expertise of past fellows is especially helpful in making these selections, as past fellows know the demands of the fellowships and the abilities required for a successful candidate.

In addition to the selection process, the committee is also engaged throughout the fellowship year to improve the fellow’s experience and ensure the fellowship continues to provide benefits to alumni regardless of their subsequent career path. Committee members assist in evaluating fellow surveys and interviews to improve fellow experience, as well as reviewing and updating fellowship criteria and the selection process. The committee also fosters community between current and former congressional fellows, providing a network of policy-savvy scientists with expertise and advice to the incoming and recent fellows as they navigate their fellowship year and beyond.