Jefferson Science Fellows Program

The Jefferson Science Fellows Program is supported, on a pilot basis, by grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation, and will receive financial and institutional support from participating American universities. The program is endorsed by numerous professional scientific societies and organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences, which will administer the program.

Each year during the three-year pilot program, five experienced, tenured research scientists and engineers from the American academic community will join the U.S. Department of State for one-year assignments in Washington, D.C. and/or at U.S. missions abroad. It is anticipated that the fellows will return to their academic careers following their assignments, but will remain available to the U.S. Government for five years as expert consultants for short-term projects. Successful candidates for Jefferson Science Fellows awards will be selected for their scientific achievements, articulation and communication skills, abilities to accurately describe scientific topics for non-scientific audiences, and their interest in science policy.

Globalization has emphasized the critical need for accurate, timely understanding of relevant science and technology in the formulation and implementation of effective foreign policy in such diverse areas as human health, security, environment, and trade. Jefferson Science fellows will play an important role by providing cutting-edge scientific and technical expertise to policymakers in the U.S. Department of State. By helping to bridge the science and policy worlds, each fellow will alert the policy community to opportunities and challenges associated with longer range, emerging international scientific developments. In doing so, the Jefferson Science Fellows Program defines a significant new relationship between the scientific community at U.S. universities and the U.S. Department of State.