Apply for the Congressional Fellowship

Due to funding constraints, AMS is not accepting applications for the Congressional Fellowship at this time. We hope the funding needed to restore the fellowship becomes available in the future.

 

Candidates wishing to apply for the Congressional Science Fellowship must submit: (1) a cover sheet, (2) a statement of intent, and (3) a curriculum vitae (described below). Candidates must also arrange to have three letters of reference submitted directly.

All application materials must be submitted electronically to phiggins@ametsoc.org. It is the candidate's responsibility to make sure all application materials arrive at the AMS by the deadline.  The AMS will not notify individuals of incomplete applications. If you have questions, please contact Paul Higgins by phone (202-355-9818) or email (phiggins@ametsoc.org).

We strongly encourage applicants to apply for all Congressional Fellowship programs for which they are eligible. For the Earth science community this likely includes: AIP, AGU, AGI, GSA, APS, AAAS, ACS, and in some cases the American Mathematical Society. Of course, we very much hope you will also apply for the AMS fellowship.

SPECIAL NOTE: AMS members are now eligible to apply for the American Institute of Physics Congressional and diplomacy fellowships.

 
COVER LETTER (not more than 200 words), indicating:

  • Name and address;

  • Phone number and email address;

  • Names of references;

  • Status of U.S. citizenship;
  • Availability for a possible interview in March or April;
  • AMS membership status (member, pending or intent to join); and,
  • Ph.D. status (completed or pending).
   
STATEMENT OF INTENT (not more than 1000 words), including a summary of:
 
  • Your reasons for applying for the AMS Fellowship;
  • Your qualifications (both scientific training and public policy experience);
  • What issues and congressional situations interest you;
  • What role you envision as a Congressional Science Fellow; and,
  • Your career goals. State your goals following the fellowship and into the future, and how you envision the fellowship supporting those goals.
   
CURRICULUM VITAE: maximum two pages of personal and professional data.
   
THREE LETTERS OF REFERENCE:

  Candidates must request letters of reference from three persons who can discuss professional competence, and other personal and professional qualities that make the applicant especially qualified to serve as a Fellow. The candidate is responsible for contacting the references and providing them with the reference letter guidance listed below. Letters of reference are considered confidential and must be mailed directly by the reference to the address mentioned above. These letters must describe the:  

  • Reference's relationship to the candidate;
  • Scientific and technical accomplishments and competency of the candidate and the relative standing of the candidate among his or her peers;
  • Candidate's ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, and to interact productively on a variety of public policy problems with people from diverse professional backgrounds;
  • Candidate's maturity level and judgment;
  • Candidate's professional future;
  • Candidate's ability to work under pressure and meet demanding deadlines; and,
  • Candidate's ability to work on sensitive political, economic, and social issues.
  • If the applicant is a Ph.D. candidate, one reference must be from the candidate's dissertation adviser stating the status of his or her thesis and the anticipated date of completion.
   
SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE:

A Fellowship Selection Committee will choose several finalists. These finalists will be invited to interview, usually in early April. Shortly after the interviews, the selection committee will select a winning candidate for the upcoming fellowship term.