The Hellman Fellowship in Science and Technology Policy

The Hellman Fellowship in Science and Technology Policy is intended for early-career professionals with training in science or engineering who are interested in transitioning to a career in public policy and administration. While in residence, the Hellman Fellows work with senior scientists and policy experts on critical national and international policy issues related to science, engineering, and technology.

Hellman Fellows work on one or more of the projects under the Academy’s Initiative for Science, Engineering, and Technology (see below). The mission of the Initiative is to examine, in broad terms, how the world of science and technology is evolving, how to help the public understand these changes, and how society can better adapt. The Initiative brings together scientists and public policy experts in a neutral setting, outside of the constraints of the political process.

The overall objectives of the Hellman Fellowship Program are as follows:

	To provide a setting and resources for an early-career professional to develop expertise on issues of science, engineering and technology policy;
	To increase the cadre of young science-policy professionals who are engaged in substantive discussion of science and engineering research questions with a broad understanding of their social implications; and
	To increase the scale of American Academy projects and studies on science, engineering, and technology.

About the American Academy: Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.

With a current membership of 4,000 American Fellows and 600 Foreign Honorary Members, the Academy has four major goals:

	Promoting service and study through analysis of critical social and intellectual issues and the development of practical policy alternatives;
	Fostering public engagement and the exchange of ideas with meetings, conferences, and symposia bringing diverse perspectives to the examination of issues of common concern;
	Mentoring a new generation of scholars and thinkers through the Visiting Scholars Program; and
	Honoring excellence by electing to membership men and women in a broad range of disciplines and professions.

Terms: Appointments are for a one-year term (with a possibility of renewal) to begin in September at the American Academy in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Stipends are competitive and commensurate with experience. Application: Send a cover letter indicating interest in and experience related to one or more of the topics listed below, curriculum vitae, and 3 letters of reference by January 15, 2010 to:

By Email: hellmanfellow@amacad.org

By Regular Mail:
Hellman Fellowship Program
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
136 Irving Street Cambridge, MA 02138

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Initiative for Science, Engineering, and Technology Projects:

	Alternative Models for the Federal Funding of Science and Their Potential to Nurture the Next Generation of Scientists. This study group examines current funding policies, mechanisms, and processes, and strategies for maximizing the impact of science funding. The study considers, for example, the effects of boom and bust funding cycles, the proper balance of capacity-building versus merit in funding considerations, the proportion of funds set aside for high-risk versus incremental research, and whether the current system of distributing funds is effective in supporting and retaining early-career scientists.
	Scientists’ Understanding of the Public.  Public attitudes about science and technology are complex, informed by a variety of sources, anchored by ethical considerations, religious beliefs, and cultural norms and values. In certain fields—for example, nuclear research, genetic engineering, research on dangerous pathogens, and nanotechnology—scientific progress and public policy concerns may come into conflict. The capacity of scientists to gain adequate funding for their work and to provide sound advice to policy makers depends crucially on their understanding of the social implications and likely public responses to their research. The project convenes scientists to discuss means of addressing this problem.
	Science and the Liberal Arts Curriculum. The Academy is undertaking a study to examine the role of science education in the liberal arts curriculum. More than two-thirds of enrolled students at colleges and universities do not major in the natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics. For these students, the science courses they take in college represent their last formal science education. The primary objectives of the study are to: 1) examine philosophies behind science requirements for nonscientists in the liberal arts curriculum, 2) determine how non-science majors fulfill their science requirements, and 3) disseminate findings to enrich discussions of curriculum reform at higher education institutions.
	Global Nuclear Future. The objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of ways in which present trends—toward more widely distributed nuclear power, more nuclear weapons, more nuclear-weapon-states, and less arms control and international regulation of the world’s nuclear affairs—can be deflected to reduce the likelihood of conflict involving fissile materials. The project is addressing issues such as managing the nuclear fuel cycle, improving nuclear safety and security, US nuclear weapons policy, and challenges of disarmament.
	Securing the Internet as Public Space. This study examines the social, political, economic, and legal bases of Internet security. The fundamental social building blocks of Internet communication—i.e., trust, power and control, and identity—are mediated by the technical protocols that underlie the Internet’s basic operation. By bringing together perspectives on both the social and technical requirements for Internet security, the project will offer recommendations for effective policies and design choices.