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12.11
What Does it Take to be an IEEE-USA Government Fellow?
By Sherry Gillespie, Ph.D.
and Tom Tierney, Ph.D.
Technology and national policy
have historically been strongly interrelated.
New technologies can provide opportunities for
the implementation of technological solutions to
societal problems, or in some cases prompt new
regulations and laws in the United States. For
example, the Internet not only changed the way
we do business on a daily basis, but also
prompted legislative proposals for protecting
privacy, cybersecurity and internet commerce.
This distinct interplay between policy and
technology requires the involvement of
scientists and engineers to ensure the policy
resides upon sound technical ground.
With the training and experience
gained by both education and working in
technical fields, U.S. IEEE members have unique
expertise that the U.S. Government requires. In
partial satisfaction of this need, IEEE-USA
annually sponsors three government fellowships.
These fellowships afford U.S. IEEE members
opportunities to spend a year in Washington,
DC, serving as technical advisors to either
the U.S. Congress or to key U.S. Department of
State decision-makers. Historically, these
government fellows have come from a wide
spectrum of scientific and engineering
disciplines, and are at varied stages of their
careers.
Government Fellows Program
Objectives
Congressional and State
Department (Engineering & Diplomacy) Fellowships
are intended to link science, technology and
engineering professionals with government. They
provide a mechanism for IEEE’s U.S. members to
learn firsthand about the public policy process
while imparting their knowledge and experience
to policy-makers. The program also seeks to
improve the Fellows’ understanding of how public
policy impacts the scientific and technical
professions. The program was established in 1973
to encourage interest and participation in
public policymaking by IEEE members. More than
90 U.S. IEEE members have served as Government
Fellows since the program’s inception.
Congressman Rush Holt (NJ), a
former Congressional Fellow, said, “The
fellowship program has been one of the most
important initiatives in good government in the
past century.”
How the Program Works
New Fellows are given a two-week
orientation under the auspices of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science
(AAAS) in the September preceding their
fellowship year. Participants in the orientation
include all Congressional and Executive Branch
Fellows selected by professional organizations
that partner with AAAS. AAAS continues to
organize events and learning experiences for the
Fellows throughout the year. IEEE-USA contracts
with AAAS for this service.
A critical part of the IEEE-USA
Fellowship process is placement within Congress
or at one of the bureaus of the Department of
State. For Congressional Fellows, AAAS again
facilitates the process by providing office
space and equipment for Congressional Fellows
during the three weeks following orientation.
State Department Fellows have the opportunity to
interview with prospective offices both before
and after orientation.
For IEEE-USA Government Fellows,
the one-year assignment in Washington usually
coincides with the calendar year (January
through December).
Who Qualifies to be a Fellow?
Applicant must be:
-
IEEE Member at time of
application
-
A U.S. Citizen
-
BS in any of the IEEE
Designated Fields & 10+ years of
professional experience
-
OR MS in any of the IEEE
Designated Fields & 5+ years of professional
experience
-
OR Ph.D./Post-doc in any of
the IEEE Designated Fields – no experience
required
In addition, for the State
Department Fellowships, the applicant must
possess or be able to obtain a security
clearance prior to the beginning of the
Fellowship.
Who Should be Applying?
The Fellowships are particularly
suited to:
-
Ph.D.s or post-docs debating
a career path
-
Mid-career professionals
looking to apply their experience to public
policy
-
“Post-career” scientists and
engineers ready for the next phase
-
Any U.S. IEEE Member
interested in influencing science and technology
policy and providing timely advice and
assistance to Congress on national issues
such as climate change, energy, STEM
education, intellectual property, security,
etc.
How Much Does it Pay?
The annual Fellowship stipend is
between $55,000 and $65,000 depending on
experience. There is an additional $5000
relocation allowance. Some employers continue
financial support to supplement the fellowship (i.e.,
a sabbatical). IEEE-USA reimburses expenses
incurred for travel and housing during the
orientation and interview period.
Selection Process
The Government Fellowship
Committee (six members) reviews the applications
and invites candidates selected as finalists to
an in-person interview. A member of the
Department of State also participates in the
selection of the Engineering and Diplomacy
Fellow. The Government Fellowship Committee
evaluates basic qualifications, education,
experience, public service, IEEE volunteer
activities, communication skills, candidates’
goals, and other intangibles.
The application deadline for
2013 Fellowships is 16 March 2012. Interviews
for finalists will be scheduled the following
month.
More detail as well as
application kits for the Congressional and State
Department Fellowships can be obtained using the
links at the end of this report.
Being a Congressional Fellow
– Sherry Gillespie
|
2008
IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow Sherry
Gillespie with Senator Joseph Lieberman |
It was a thrill to be selected
as the 2008 IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow. After
orientation, I dove into the placement process,
intent on finding that Congressional office
which would offer the most rewarding experience
combined with an opportunity to apply my
extensive background as a scientist in industry
to public policy. I interviewed widely, both in
personal offices in the Senate and the House, as
well as with Congressional Committees in both
Houses of Congress. I considered a number of
factors: committee assignments of the Member,
alignment of interests, compatibility with the
legislative staff, and of course, evidence of
the Member’s support for science and technology.
After being invited for a number of second interviews, I received three “offers.” I
opted for the personal office of Senator Joseph
I. Lieberman (I-CT). The breadth of experiences
during my Fellowship year was notable. I worked
on a wide variety of legislative projects, met
with constituents, and networked extensively
with other staffers in Congress. But by far, the
highlight for me was the opportunity to draft
legislation that became law before the end of my
fellowship year. Specifically, the Fiscal Year
2009 National Defense Authorization Act (Public
Law 110-417) Section 254 on Trusted Defense
Systems was signed into law on 14 October 2008.
Drafting this legislation was a
convergence of my experience and interest in
semiconductor technology with the opportunity to
positively influence public policy in a matter
of serious concern. The support and
encouragement of the Senate Armed Services
Committee throughout the year was invaluable.
The legislation addresses the issue of “trust”
in integrated circuits for defense systems. It
calls for an assessment and prioritization of
vulnerabilities, increased use of trusted
foundries for the manufacture of integrated
circuits (ICs), and application of verification
techniques in acquisition of electronics. It
calls for an assessment of methods for verifying that semiconductors procured from commercial
sources can be trusted. It also specifies those
policies, strategies and actions to assure trust
that need to be developed. In the course of
writing the legislation, I conducted
briefings with DoD, NSA and DARPA personnel.
Background on the Legislation
Manufacturing of ICs has been migrating offshore at an
accelerated rate since the 1990s. Senator
Lieberman had expressed concern about this as a
threat to national security in a white paper
issued in 2003. The U.S. military, which was at
one time a major consumer of ICs, now consumes
roughly one percent of the worldwide IC market
and is therefore not in a position to control or
influence the supply of commercial and custom
ICs used in military systems. Offshore
manufacturing of critical components for weapons
systems can introduce vulnerabilities that an
adversary could exploit. Substitution of
counterfeit components with lower reliability
and performance poses yet another threat. The
Defense Science Board issued a report in 2005
warning of significant erosion of U.S.
manufacturing advantages and the negative
consequences of this trend.
With support and encouragement
from the staff of the Senate Armed Services
Committee, where Senator Lieberman is a member,
I drafted legislation which ultimately became
Section 254. The intent of the legislation is to
address the need for a secure supply chain for
semiconductor-based products essential to
maintaining national security.
Some Observations
It should be noted that every
fellowship experience is unique and I could not
anticipate ahead of time how the year would
unfold. I had the good fortune of working with a
very compatible and competent staff both in the
Senator’s personal office and on the Senate
Armed Service Committee. I also had the
opportunity to interact with the Senate Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that
Senator Lieberman chairs. I was invited to
attend weekly staff meetings which included
committee staff. I had the opportunity to meet
with the Senator and brief him on the issues.
The range of projects was extensive and included
writing a “Dear Colleague” letter to provide
bipartisan support for science, involvement with
issues relating to NASA such as the “Space Suit
Competition,” making recommendations on
legislative amendments, assisting with the
climate change bill that came to the floor of
the Senate that year, meeting with constituents
on a host of topics, and writing a White Paper
on Nanotechnology for the Senator. The pace of
activity was rapid. Recommendations often need
to be turned around within hours, and issues can
change quickly. I came to appreciate the
extraordinary support of the Congressional
Research Service, an arm of the Library of
Congress that is dedicated to providing factual material
on almost any topic to members of Congress and
their staff upon request. Overall, the words of
one of our instructors during orientation ring
true: “Politics, Policy, Procedure” accurately
characterizes the blend one experiences as a
Fellow.
After the Fellowship
Subsequent to, and as a direct
outcome of the work I did during my fellowship
year, I was asked to consult on matters relating
to trust in acquisition of semiconductors. I am
currently a Senior Fellow with the Potomac
Institute for Policy Studies in the DC area. I have had the opportunity to work
closely with experts affiliated with the Potomac
Institute as well as those at the Institute for
Defense Analysis and elsewhere. In fact, I have
now re-located to DC from
Austin, Texas. I would like to add that, for me,
the Government Fellowship program has been one
of the most significant benefits of being an
IEEE member.
A presentation on these
materials was given at the IEEE-USA
Annual Meeting in Austin Texas in March
2011, as well as in an IEEE-USA a
webinar held on 29 November 2011.
Being an IEEE-USA Engineering
and Diplomacy Fellow – Tom Tierney
|
2009
IEEE-USA Engineering and
Diplomacy Fellow Tom Tierney |
Foreign policy and cutting-edge
science often intersect in many ways as
technologies are not only globalizing, but also
often challenge the security environments
internationally. The State Department resides at
the nexus of national security and technologies,
especially in countering terrorism and
proliferation. The fellowship allowed me to not
only gain firsthand insight into the complex
interplay that occurs at this nexus, but also
gain credible experiences with which I could
help other scientists and engineers improve
their connection with technology policy.
As the 2009 IEEE-USA Engineering
and Diplomacy Fellow, I served as a technical
advisor in the Office of the Coordinator for
Counterterrorism in the U.S. Department of State
[see
Today’s Engineer 05/10]. While my
principal responsibility was to support
counterterrorism and counter Weapons of Mass
Destruction programs, I found myself supporting
technology policy development across a broad
spectrum, including engineering, physics,
chemistry and biology. I advised on
counterterrorism technologies, nuclear defense,
emergency response, nuclear treaties, and
nuclear trafficking prevention programs. As
such, my experiences as a researcher at a
national laboratory and the contacts afforded
through my technical interactions proved
invaluable to creating a personally rewarding
experience. I had to draw upon a confluence of
national technical experts as well as my
personal knowledge of technologies and their
limitations.
The IEEE-USA fellowship allowed
me to directly participate, and in some cases
lead, technology policy development and R&D
planning as part of both domestic and
international interactions. As an example, I
participated in the development of several
policies for countering the threat weapons of
mass destruction as well as national
cybersecurity policies — including key National
Security Policy Directives. I was also exposed
to a new community of scientists and engineers
who support analysis of emerging and disruptive
technologies.
Some Observations
The State Department has an
insatiable appetite for technology expertise
and, therefore, uses programs like the IEEE-USA
Government Fellows as a means to bring in
subject matter experts for short rotations.
During any given year, the State Department has
more than 30 government fellows from a wide
range of professional societies as well as the
National Academies' Jefferson Science Fellows
program. Interestingly, the State Department
also uses these Fellowships as a means to
evaluate the capabilities and interests of
potential new staff, much akin to the way
universities use tenure track professorships or
national laboratories use postdoctoral research
assistantships. A considerable number of the
State Department’s current technology policy
experts initially started under one of the
scientific or engineering fellows programs.
After the Fellowship
Like many people involved the
Fellowship program, I found the draw of having
an impact on the world via Washington
irresistible. The opportunity to actually make a
positive difference in other people’s lives is
distinctly appealing. I enjoyed the fast-paced,
hustle-and-bustle of technology policy
development; and yet, I also missed working in a
laboratory environment where I could go through
the process of discovery and teaching to improve
the national and international security
environment.
After the fellowship, I
returned to Los Alamos National Laboratory and
resumed technical research in areas that are
closely related to both my previous work and my
experiences in DC
With the knowledge of Federal
processes, my work responsibilities include
pieces of the Washington appeal. I connect my
governmental colleagues with subject matter
experts both in academia, industry and in the
national laboratories. I also maintain frequent
contacts with several of the people that I most
closely associated with during my Fellowship to
stay abreast of technology challenges or policy
developments. In many cases, I have been called
upon to support the development of new
technology policy or provide technical reviews
of draft policy language.
My experience as an IEEE-USA
Engineering and Diplomacy Fellow was
life-changing. While I maintain an interest in
laboratory research and development, I have an
increased awareness and sensitivity to
technology developments worldwide. I continue to
support many U.S. Government Departments and
Agencies with emerging technologies
identification and analysis — primarily in
support of export controls. In addition, I serve
as co-chair of Department of Commerce's Emerging
Technologies and Research Advisory Committee — a
federal technical advisory committee that
provides DOC with guidance on export controls
policy, including deemed export rules.
I feel I have the best of two
worlds: research and technology policy. I
believe it is important to have both technical
experts working in the policy environment and on
policy, and experienced policy experts working
in the technical environment. For me, I found
that I am more interested in the latter role.
Useful Links
The following links provide
additional information on the fellowships,
applications for the 2013 Congressional and
State Department Fellowships, a Directory and
Summary Reports from past Fellows on their
placement and fellowship experiences.
Congressional Fellowships -
http://ieeeusa.org/policy/govfel/congfel.asp
Engineering & Diplomacy
Fellowships -
http://ieeeusa.org/policy/govfel/state.asp
About the Authors
Sherry Gillespie, Ph.D., is
the current Chair of the IEEE-USA Government
Fellows Committee. She is also a member of
the IEEE-USA Research and Development Policy
Committee. Sherry was the IEEE-USA Congressional
Fellow for 2008. During her fellowship year, she
served as science advisor for Senator Joe
Lieberman. Sherry spent her career in the
semiconductor industry at IBM and then Motorola,
where she was Director of Materials Research and
Strategic Technology. She served on the Board of
Directors of the Semiconductor Research
Corporation and on the Technology Strategy
Committee of the Semiconductor Industry
Association. She holds a U.S. patent and has
authored or co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed
journal articles and proceedings reports in
non-volatile memory, ferroelectric materials,
chip lithography and manufacturing processes.
She is currently a Senior Fellow at the Potomac
Institute for Policy Studies in the Washington
DC area where she consults on issues relating to
science and public policy. She is a Senior
Member of IEEE and was a Vice-Chair for the
Central Texas Section. Sherry holds a Ph.D. in
solid state physics.
Tom Tierney, Ph.D., is a
physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory
where he currently serves as a senior project
leader over counterterrorism and counter-nuclear
threats technologies. He will represent the
membership at large as a member of the IEEE-USA
Board of Directors for 2013 and 2014, is
currently vice-chair of the IEEE-USA R&D Policy
Committee as well as Vice-Chair of the IEEE’s
Los Alamos Northern New Mexico Section, and
served as the 2009 IEEE-USA Engineering and
Diplomacy Fellow. Tom currently co-chairs the
Department of Commerce’s Emerging Technologies
and Research Advisory Committee, which advises
the Bureau of Industry and Security on emerging
technologies as well as regulatory impacts on
fundamental research environments (e.g., deemed
exports). He has become a part of a community of
scientists and engineers who are working to
modernize the processes the US Government use to
perform technology forecasting and emerging
technology analysis. Tom has coauthored over 75
unclassified and classified journal articles in
plasma sciences, radiation transport, dynamic
materials sciences, and high energy density
physics. He is in the process of completing a
book chapter on emerging technologies analysis.
Tom received the Department of State’s
Meritorious Honor Award for work he performed in
support of the Office of the Coordinator for
Counterterrorism in 2009. He was part of a team
that received the Department of Energy’s Defense
Programs Award of Excellence for work on a flux
compression generator.
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