Fellowship Experiences

Holly Campbell-Rosen
2004-06 AAAS Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

A meeting with a former AAAS Fellow during graduate school inspired Holly Campbell-Rosen to consider stepping out of the lab to pursue opportunities in science policy.

“My lab work was very basic,” says Holly of her research on the brain functions of animals such as the electric fish and the blowfly. As a neuroethologist, her work focused on understanding the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical bases of animal sensory systems such as vision and electroreception. Although Holly loved doing basic research, she says, “It didn’t have a strong connection to human health, so I wasn’t receiving the personal fulfillment that I needed. I wanted to have more of an impact on society.”

After Holly received her PhD in neuroscience from the University of Arizona in 2000, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Oregon Health & Science University. Placing her academic career on hold, she applied to the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships and was awarded a placement at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

She spent the first year of her fellowship in the Office of Biotechnology Activities, which is housed within the Office of Director, the central office at NIH. There, she supported two federal advisory committees: one, the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society, reported to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the ethical, legal, and social issues pertaining to human genetics and the second, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, reported to the Secretary of HHS, the Director of NIH, and the heads of all federal departments and agencies that conduct or support life science research. During this year, Holly gained an appreciation for the tremendous amount of effort, coordination, and time that are required to formulate and implement new government-wide policies.

For the second year of her fellowship, Holly transferred to the Office of Science Policy & Planning within the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), one of NIH’s 27 institutes and centers. One of the office’s roles is to report to Congress on how federal funding contributes to the understanding of, prevention of, and treatment of neurological disorders such as stroke, brain tumors, and tuberous sclerosis. The majority of Holly’s time was spent conducting research and writing reports. While at NINDS, Holly also participated in NINDS’ strategic planning process and developed an interest in how funding agencies prioritize areas of research and administer research funding.

Although she gained valuable knowledge working in science policy, Holly discovered during the course of her fellowship that she missed interacting closely with other scientists and actively sought a position in research administration where she would interact with and support scientists.

Upon completion of her fellowship, Holly accepted a position as a Grants Manager for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs within the U.S. Army Medical Research & Materiel Command, a move that she calls a “natural transition.” Housed within the U.S. Department of Defense, the programs fund biomedical research by administering research grants to academic and private institutions. Holly manages a portfolio of grants on neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, and a variety of diseases/conditions that affect military service personnel, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic injuries, and alcoholism.

Holly is enjoying this new phase of her career and still interacts frequently with other Fellows from her cohort. “I may go back to the lab eventually, bringing with me this new perspective,” she says. “But for now, I’m very happy.”