About
03 August 2016
The Optical Society Celebrates 20 Years of Congressional Fellows
The Optical Society Celebrates 20 Years of Congressional Fellows
WASHINGTON – The Optical Society (OSA) is celebrating its Centennial in 2016 and the 20th anniversary of its participation in the AAAS Congressional Science and Technology Policy Fellowships Program. The Society’s first Congressional Fellow was in 1995-1996 in partnership the Materials Research Society (MRS). In 1999, The Optical Society offered a second fellowship in partnership with SPIE. Since its inception, OSA has sponsored 38 Congressional Fellows, who have worked in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in a personal office or on a Congressional committee.“Twenty years ago, The Optical Society recognized the need to bring the scientist’s perspective to policy development – from research funding to STEM education to tech transfer and energy policy,” said Chris Schaffer, associate professor at Cornell University, New York and 2012-2013 Arthur H. Guenther Congressional Fellow. “This program has touched so many in research like myself and it has a legacy that lives beyond the one-year fellowship term as many stay in public policy, providing an essential voice for science policy.”
The Congressional Fellowship program brings technical and scientific expertise to the decision-making process in Congress and provides scientists with insights into the inner workings of the federal government.
"The OSA/MRS Congressional Fellowship has been one of the most exciting, enjoyable, and transformational years of my life,” remarked Dr. Peter Winter, 2015-2016 OSA/MRS Congressional Fellow. “Working in the Senate has helped me develop valuable new skills and opened doors in my career that I had no idea existed. Whether you want to pursue a future in academia, public policy, or industry, the OSA/MRS Congressional Fellowship is a life-changing opportunity unlike any other."
Congressional Fellows must have their Ph.D. by the start of the fellowship. Fellows spend one year working as a special legislative assistant on a member of Congress or congressional committee’s staff. During this year-only program, fellows are involved in conducting legislative or oversight work, assisting in congressional hearings and debates, preparing briefs and writing speeches. Upon completion of the Congressional Fellowship program, former fellows have continued their careers into policy, government, academia and industry.
About The Optical Society
Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and entrepreneurs who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org/100. For more information on the Congressional Fellows Program, visit osa.org/congressionalfellowships.
Media Contacts:
mediarelations@osa.org