AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

Events: Orientation

New AAAS Fellows are required to attend an two-week orientation program at the start of the Fellowship year. The goal of orientation is to provide Fellows with essential facts about the legislative and executive branches, to help define Fellows' roles and to offer information and contacts that will be useful in their assignments. Below is the summary of our September Orientation Program:

PRE-ORIENTATION SESSION

• AAAS Stipend Fellows Administrative Session
• Briefing on the AAAS Fellows' Health Insurance Plan
• Congressional Fellowships 101
• Ethical and Legal Requirements in Congress

DAY 1 - INTRODUCTION TO THE FELLOWSHIPS & WASHINGTON, DC

• Overview of Orientation and the Fellowship Year
• Contrasting Cultures of the Science & Policy Realms
• The American Experiment in Government
• "Speed Bonding" Introduction Exercise

DAY 2 - THE FEDERAL BUDGET & THE PRESIDENCY

• Introduction to the Federal Budget
• An Interactive Workshop: Writing an Appropriations Bill
• Economic Policy Keynote Luncheon
• The Executive Branch: Structures, Functions and Cultures

DAY 3 - SCIENCE POLICY & THE JUDICIARY

• Science Policy vs. Science for Policy: What It Is, What It Isn't, and Who's Involved
• Science Policy Case Study
• Keynote Luncheon: Science, Technology and the Courts

DAY 4 - CIVICS 501 & THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• The Constitution and Interactions Between the Three Branches of Government
• Introduction to the U.S. Congress/The Evolution of Power in Congress
• Keynote Luncheon: A Congressman's Perspective on Congress
• The Lawmaking Process/The Path of Legislation
  

DAY 5 - THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH & SCIENCE POLICY

• Science Advice to the U.S. President
• Other Stakeholders in the Policy Process
• Developing, Pitching and Implementing Policy 101 (coordinated by TheCapitol.Net )
• Policy Strategy Workshop: From Concept to Reality (coordinated by TheCapitol.Net )

DAY 6 - LEGISLATIVE BRANCH/EXECUTIVE BRANCH IMMERSION

• Concurrent Sessions:
  • All Congressional Fellows:
    • Congressional Research Service Institute for Congressional Science Fellows
  • All Executive Branch Fellows:
    • Introduction to the Executive Branch
    • Ethical and Legal Requirements in Executive Branch Agencies
    • Effective Writing in the Executive Branch
    • How to Function Effectively in the Executive Branch
      

DAY 7 - DIPLOMACY, FOREIGN POLICY & AGENCY COOPERATION

• Science, Diplomacy and International Cooperation (1)
• Science, Diplomacy and International Cooperation (2)
• International Policy Keynote Luncheon
• Federal Agency Cooperation: National Defense and Global Security

DAY 8 - CHALLENGES & REWARDS OF PUBLIC SERVICE

• "Congressional Insight" - Stepping into the Shoes of a Member of Congress
• "Congressional Insight": Lessons Learned
• The Challenges and Rewards of Public Service
• AAAS: A Voice for Science
• Wrap-Up and What's Next

DAY 9

• Congressional and Agency-Specific Orientations