OSA / MRS Congressional Fellowship

Materials Research Society / Optical Society of America

	Term: September 2005 – August 2006 Winner: Benjamin Gross Status: Accepted Number of Finalists: 6

Brief Biography:

Benjamin Jay Gross earned his PhD in physical chemistry at Columbia University, and his B.S. in chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley. His thesis research examined the development of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods for application in structural biology. Prior to his thesis work he spent two years studying molecular electronic materials by single molecule spectroscopy and ultra-microscopy techniques. He spent a year and a half teaching physical chemistry to senior level undergraduates and was a member of the Columbia Chemistry Careers Committee, which brings in chemistry Ph.D.'s to speak of their careers outside of academic research.

After earning his Ph.D. he spent the Fall of 2004 at the National Academies as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow. While there he worked with the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences on the review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. It was during this fellowship that he became certain he wished to pursue a career in science policy.

Ben looks forward to his time as the MRS/OSA Congressional Fellow, and to the opportunity to participate in the process that informs the creation and implementation of science and technology policy.