Two Fellows will contribute their scientific expertise to U.S. policymaking and gain valuable experience
WASHINGTON-Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, the Materials Research Society (MRS) and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, have announced the selection of the 2022-23 Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows: Sindhu Nathan and Clara Tibbetts. Both Fellows will serve a one-year term in Washington, D.C., USA as a special legislative assistant for a member of the U.S. Congress or as a staff member for a congressional committee.
The Congressional Fellowship is a unique opportunity for Ph.D. scientists and engineers to lend their technical and scientific backgrounds to federal policymaking. Fellows also gain firsthand experience in the policymaking process by participating in a variety of ways including, conducting legislative or oversight work, assisting in congressional hearings and debates, preparing policy briefs and writing speeches.
Nathan will serve as the 2022-23 Optica/MRS Congressional Fellow, and Tibbetts has been named the 2022-23 Arthur H. Guenther Congressional Fellow, co-sponsored by Optica and SPIE. Both Nathan and Tibbetts will begin their terms as fellows in September 2022.
"I am so incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Optica/MRS Congressional Fellow," said Nathan. "I have developed a passion for energy and climate policy over the past several years and look forward to the chance to learn how to leverage my engineering background towards tackling policy issues like these on the Hill over the next year."
"I am excited for the opportunity to learn from policymakers and the chance to apply my background in chemistry to a range of policy issues, including climate and energy topics," said Tibbetts. "It is an incredible honor to be this year's Arthur H. Guenther Congressional Fellow."
The American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) provides training in science policy and communication as well as an orientation for new Fellows. After completing this training, Nathan and Tibbetts will meet with various U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and congressional committee staff before selecting which office or committee they wish to work in for their fellowship year.
