AAAS Fellowship FAQ

The Application

Q: What is the deadline for PAA Fellowship applications?
The deadline is 15 December 2011. All required information, including three letters of recommendation, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Pacific Standard Time on that date. Applications are being accepted this year starting in October, for the fellowship class that begins the following September.

Q: How do I prepare a competitive application?
Applicants can improve their chances of gaining a fellowship by reading all sections of the Fellowship website thoroughly to ensure an understanding of the focus of the fellowship program, the eligibility requirements, and the application instructions. Applicants should allow enough time to develop a comprehensive, well-presented and error-free candidate statement. It is critical to contact references early to provide them time to prepare a thoughtful and thorough letter of recommendation. It is also essential to follow the application instructions. Do not submit documents that exceed the mandated page or word limit. If called for an interview, prepare to concisely articulate your interests and background, and be able to discuss how your science relates to policy.

Q: What does a complete application include?

• Completed candidate data including academic history and transcript.
• Statement of interest (1,000-word maximum; no exceptions) that describes the basis for the applicant’s interest in the Fellowship and what fellow hopes to gain from the experience.
• Current C.V.
• Three letters of recommendation

The Candidate

Q: Who is the ideal candidate for a PAA fellowship?
There is no “ideal” candidate for a fellowship. We are willing to consider candidates from academia, industry and the non-profit sectors; and from a broad range of career stages, from recently graduated post docs to mid-career professionals and faculty on sabbatical, to retired individuals. PAA Fellows serve as ambassadors for population science. Therefore, scholarship is the most important qualification for the Fellowship. Additionally, the Fellow’s interests, career goals, interpersonal and communication skills are important considerations.

Q: Is previous experience in public policy necessary to be a strong candidate?
No, the fellowships are designed to help scientists and engineers learn about the policymaking process by participating in it. However, it is important to convey an understanding of the societal impacts of science in your application materials and during an interview. You should also be prepared to speak about how your specific scientific specialty relates to policy issues and how it can be applied in government decision-making.

Q: Do I have to have PhD to apply for a PAA Fellowship?
No. The Fellowship requires that applicants have a doctoral-level degree in any discipline (e.g. Ph.D, M.D., Ed.D, J.D., D.SW., etc.) to be a PAA Fellow, but you have until June 15 to complete the requirements.

Q: I am completing my PhD after the application deadline but before the fellowship year starts. Can I still apply?
Yes. You may apply, but you must complete your degree by June 15 preceding the Fellowship.

Q: Why are federal employees not eligible for the PAA Fellowships?
The PAA Fellowship was designed to educate about the policy process, and to bring additional science and external perspectives to government decision-making. Federal employees are often already involved in the policy process, and they would not bring external perspectives. Those not in policy-related positions have the opportunity to seek such positions from within the government system. There also are other options for federal employees to arrange exchanges that provide an experience in another agency or on Capitol Hill, such as an IPA (inter-personnel agreement). Also, the executive branch fellowships are funded by the hosting agencies and they seek individuals who cannot easily move into the system without a fellowship. NOTE: Some of the other scientific societies that sponsor congressional and executive branch fellowships do accept applications from federal employees. For more information please click here.

Q: Are post-docs at federal agencies or national labs considered federal employees?
No, with the exception of individuals holding Title 42 positions. This category conveys the privileges of federal employment, and therefore is not eligible for the PAA Fellowships. Applicants who hold a temporary/term-limited fellowship or post-doc with a federal agency are considered eligible, as are post-docs at national labs who are funded by a federal agency.

Q: I currently work for Congress; am I considered a federal employee?
Yes. Anyone working in a full-time, paid, permanent position at the federal level of government (including the executive, judicial and legislative branches) is considered a federal employee for eligibility purposes.

The Selection Process

Q: How many persons apply each year and how many are selected?
This is the first year the PAA will have a fellow at NIA. We hope to receive 20 applications for the one fellowship position.

Q: When do the interviews take place?
The selection interviews take place at the PAA Annual Meeting.

Q: Does AAAS pay travel costs for interview candidates?
No. PAA will not cover transportation or lodging costs.

Q: When will applicants be notified about the status of their application and candidacy for a fellowship?
Applicants will be notified of the status of their application at several points through the 2012-13 application and selection process. Please see the 2011-12 Fellowship Schedule for details of the process last year.

Q. What are possible reasons that an applicant is not selected to advance in the review process or selected for a PAA Policy Fellowship?
Applicants may not be selected for a number of reasons that are in no sense a negative reflection on the individual or her/his science. These reasons might include those noted below.

• The applicant is perceived to be at too early a stage in her/his career to benefit fully from the fellowship.
• The applicant has not demonstrated a focus on applying his/her science in a broader societal and policy context.
• The applicant is perceived to be already well-skilled in policy-related activities, and therefore would not benefit fully from the experience that the fellowship provides.

Q: Can I reapply for a PAA Fellowship?
Yes. PAA does not impose limits on the number of times a candidate may apply.

The Fellowship Experience

Q: If awarded a fellowship, how do I prepare for the experience?
In early September, AAAS provides a two-week orientation program that indoctrinates Fellows to the workings of federal government and provides exposure to some of the issues, institutions, and individuals that they will deal with during a fellowship year. Prior to orientation, the AAAS Fellowships Department provides written materials and a variety of resources that assist Fellows to prepare for their year in Washington, D.C. The Director and Deputy Director of GPAC are available to answer any questions you might have about the fellowship — or life in DC.

Q: What is the duration of the PAA Fellowships?
The fellowships are 12-month learning experiences beginning on 1 September and ending on 31 August. Individuals accepting a fellowship must sign an agreement acknowledging this year-long commitment. Some fellowships may renew for a second year at the mutual agreement of the host office, the Fellow, and PAA. Second year renewals are contingent upon the availability of funding.

Q: May I opt for a shorter fellowship?
No. The PAA Policy Fellowships are available only as a 12-month commitment in the first year of an assignment. However, second year assignments may be for shorter durations at the mutual agreement of the host office, the Fellow, and PAA.

Q: What is the location of the Fellowships?
The placement of the fellow will depend on two things: The expertise of the PAA fellow and the ability of the agency to host the fellow in a given year. PAA is currently working with the National Institute on Aging and The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health; the Census Bureau; and Economics and Statistics Association, Department of Commerce.

Q: How is the salary of a Fellow decided?
Stipends for Fellows fall into a three-tier system using the federal government pay-scale, taking into consideration previous experience and salary. Stipend (and benefit) levels reflect the fact that the fellowships offer substantial educational value over employment, so may or may not be competitive with those for employment. Please note that fellows may not negotiate stipends and benefits directly with agencies or placements. The following are the stipend levels for the 2010-11 fellowship year (which will be raised for the following fellowship year):

• Level 1: Fellows with 0-7 years of post-doctorate, full-time employment receive a stipend based on an equivalent of the federal general schedule GS Grade 12,Step 1. For example, in January 2010 this was $74,872.
• Level 2: Fellows with more than seven years of post-doctorate, full-time employment or whose prior salary (exclusive of benefits) was at least 25 percent higher than the Level 1 stipend, receive a Level 2 stipend equivalent to GS Grade12, Step 5. For example, in January 2010 this was $84,855.
• Level 3: Fellows with 15 or more years of post-doctorate, full-time employment or whose prior salary (exclusive of benefits) was at least 50 percent higher than the Level 1 stipend, receive a Level 3 stipend equivalent to GS Grade 12, Step 10.For example, in January 2010 this was $97,333.

Q: I have research projects and grants underway. Will it be possible for me to continue work on them during the Fellowship?
Similar to programs like the Fulbright, Executive Branch Fellowships are immersion experiences, and the vast majority of Fellows do not find time during the workday for their own projects. They sometimes find they are able to work on their own writing projects in the evenings and on weekends. However, Fellows need to adhere to Ethics rules in the Executive Branch and request permission from their host office or agency to continue active work on grants, so as to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Q: I am interested in taking one year of leave from my university to do a PAA Policy Fellowship. How do I arrange this with my university, and how do I convince my university that this can of value to them?
You may be eligible for cost-sharing between the university and the Fellowship Program for a year of leave (such as an Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program, or IPA. We believe that it is important to educate your department chair and Dean about the value you will bring back to the university following your Fellowship. In general, assets that a Fellow can bring back to the university include: enhanced grantsmanship skills; enhanced communication skills for non-academic audiences; an enriched capacity for policy-relevant research; a broader network of collaborators, both inside and outside academia; a broader ability to teach about developmental science and public policy; broader experience for committee service to the university; and enhanced capacity for working with state and local policymakers. We recommend that you review the comments of former SRCD and AAAS Fellows for what they have gained from the Fellowship and contact us for additional assistance.

Q: What impact has the fellowship had on the career path of former Fellows?
This is the first PAA fellowship, so we cannot speak specifically to PAA fellows. Based on the AAAS fellows since 1973, in the year immediately following their fellowship, approximately 40-50% of the Fellows continue working in the policy realm; 20-25% return to the sector in which they worked previously; and another 20-25% use the experience as a stepping stone to a new opportunity. To read about AAAS Fellows’ perspectives on their experiences click here. Please also review the perspective of SRCD fellows.

Q: Are there any requirements at the completion of the Fellowship year?
All PAA Fellows are required to provide a brief presentation to the PAA board at the annual meeting (their opinion about the value of the fellowship experience) and a brief final fellowship evaluation (due by PAA fall meeting.) The reports can be made by conference call and are primarily to help PAA to improve the value of the Fellowship experience.