Student Opportunities

AIBS offers several public policy training opportunities for current and recent graduate students in the biological sciences.

Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award

As part of its focus on engaging scientists in the public policy process, AIBS has established the Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award. The award recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences and science education who have demonstrated initiative and leadership in science policy. EPPLA recipients receive first-hand experience at the interface of science and public policy.

The winners will receive an expense paid trip to Washington, DC, to participate in meetings with their congressional delegation, training and information on the federal budget and appropriations process, a 1-year AIBS membership, a complimentary 1-year subscription to BioScience, and a copy of Communicating Science: A Primer for Working with the Media.

The application deadline for the 2013 award has passed. Stay tuned for the announcement of the award winners.

Learn more about past EPPLA recipients

ASM-AIBS Graduate Student Public Policy Internship

The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) and AIBS are pleased to announce the availability of an internship in the Washington, DC AIBS Public Policy Office. The internship is open to ASM members who are currently enrolled in a graduate program or who have completed a graduate degree no more than one semester prior to the starting date of the internship, and who are engaged in research that will contribute to our understanding and conservation of mammals. The internship is for three months during fall 2012, and carries a generous monthly stipend of $2,000. Selection criteria include demonstrated interest in public policy process, strong communications skills, and excellent academic record.

The ASM-AIBS Public Policy Internship is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in public policy at the national level. By working with the AIBS Public Policy Office, the intern will learn how scientific societies, non-governmental organizations (NGO's), executive branch agencies (e.g., NSF, USGS), and the legislative branch interact to craft science policy. Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Attending science coalition meetings, congressional and agency briefings, hearings, press briefings and other relevant events
• Assisting with tracking and analysis of relevant issues
• Assisting with planning Capitol Hill briefings or press events
• Preparing a written report on the internship experience
• Serving as the ASM representative to AIBS Council

The application deadline for the fall 2012 internship has passed. For more information about the internship, including how to apply, download the program flyer.

Graduate Student Policy Internship

The AIBS Public Policy Office, located in downtown Washington, DC, periodically offers paid and unpaid science policy internships for current and recent graduate students in the biological sciences. This unique public policy training opportunity provides young scientists with valuable first-hand experience in public policy. Past interns have worked on science policy projects including planning a Capitol Hill science policy briefing, preparing science policy documents, conducting research on science and science education policy initiatives, and attending Congressional and executive branch meetings.

To apply for a paid or unpaid internship, please send the following information to publ...@aibs.org:

• A cover letter that expresses your interest, availability, and how the internship will contribute to your education and career
• Resume (two pages maximum)
• Writing sample of up to 750 words that demonstrates your policy interests and analytical skills
• Names and contact information for three professional references

Member Society Graduate Student Science Policy Fellowship

The AIBS Public Policy Office offers a unique opportunity for AIBS member societies and organizations to advance their public policy goals through the competitively selected AIBS Graduate Student Science Policy Fellowship. The program offers current graduate students pursuing a degree in the biological sciences the chance to spend three to six months in AIBS' Public Policy Office, located in downtown Washington, DC. During this period, the Fellow gains first-hand science policy experience while working on a science policy project that advances the goals of the sponsoring member society.

To learn more about this program, please contact Robert Gropp, Director of Public Policy, at rgr...@aibs.org or view our program flyer (775 KB PDF).

Congressional Science Fellows

AIBS has in the past sponsored Congressional Science Fellows through the AAAS fellowship program (http://fellowships.aaas.org/). This AIBS program is currently on hiatus and may be reactivated at a later time.

Learn more about past AIBS Congressional Fellows