What_They_Did_Fall

“I worked within the National Academy of Engineering’s Center for the Advancement of Scholarship on Engineering Education (NAE/CASEE) on a database of resources for engineering educators. More specifically, I read and coded scholarly articles for the database, inputted data into the database, troubleshot problems with the system, developed some spreadsheets, and contributed in other minor roles on this project.”

“I assisted the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board on a large decadal survey of NASA’s civil aeronautics program. Specifically, I volunteered to do background research on aviation noise – detailing the regulatory framework, the impact of noise on communities, the relationship between noise and the capacity of the air transportation system, and current/future research efforts for noise reduction. I presented my findings to the panel in a 60-minute briefing during my last week. In addition to this project, I worked on identifying speakers for panel meetings, and helped prepare a prospectus for a study on NASA’s Space Communications.”

“The majority of the time I dedicated to my board was spent conducting analyses of population data derived from government sources including the Census Bureau and the Board on Labor Statistics (among others). My overall goal was to determine if there is any correlation between the amount of federal research dollars allocated to an area and the overall health of the economy in that area. The prediction was that increased research spending would benefit the greater community that extends beyond the benefits that immediate recipients of the funds receive. The particular endpoints that I examined were average unemployment and average hourly wage rates, and overall educational attainment. While the first two endpoints were obtained through existing datasets, I had to design an equation to define educational attainment so that a single overall score, or value, could be assigned to a particular population encompassing 11 discrete categories of educational achievement. During initial analysis of wage data I determined that cost of living figures needed to be incorporated into the figures. Prior to comparing funding amounts against economic factors, I wanted to look for a correlation between education and unemployment, and education and wage level. Individual predictions were that as education levels increased for an area (1) unemployment levels would decrease, and (2), average wages (adjusted for cost of living) would increase. In addition to this primary project, I was involved with three meetings that my board held during the fellowship period. My contributions included contacting speakers and obtaining and editing their narrative biographies, and assisting in staffing the events. Additionally, I contributed to one project in particular where in-depth assistance was needed to keep the project viable. I contacted the group leaders and members individually to (1) gather information on the current status of the project, (2) establish productive dialog about the additional information necessary to complete the study, and (3) coordinate several project conference calls. I then summarized the findings of the individuals in order to facilitate strategic planning about the additional information needed to complete the study, and began investigating prospective sources of information. Outside of my projects at the Academies, I attempted to meet and speak with a variety of people involved in some way with science policy and/or the D.C. culture in order to gain different perspectives and learn about different fields. This included meetings with congressional staff members, policy advocates affiliated with universities, several program staffers at The National Academies, and the directors of AAAS and ASPB.”

“I was involved in a number of different activities for my unit, which provided me with a really nice cross-section of a range of topics and projects. Initially, I helped finalize a report that my unit was preparing to release. My unit had a committee meeting during the second week of the fellowship. From that meeting, ideas for many new potential studies were generated. I was tasked with researching the topics, identifying the important policy-related questions to address, writing study proposals, and incorporating comments from committee members for subsequent submission to the Governing Board Executive Committee (GBEC).”

“Did extensive background reading and wrote policy briefs in preparation for the Evidence Based Medicine Roundtable’s first session. Attended policy seminars, congressional hearings and press conferences focused on health care issues. In collaboration with several foundations, I conducted surveys and compiled responses from payers and health practitioners on significant evidence gaps in current medical treatments. Compiled an inventory of medical interventions in need of effectiveness assessment through extensive literature searches and consultations with experts in the field. Went to various events on the hill: Met with congressman Holt, attended congressional hearings (avian flu preparedness, biosecurity), and other dinners and events for global health programs. Attended policy seminars at Brookings, AED, health care conferences sponsored by AHRQ and CMS in DC and IOM meetings and conferences.”

1. Technical Safeguards for Sensitive Biological Materials: Helped plan and organize a National Academies Planning Meeting entitled “Technical Safeguards for Sensitive Biological Materials”.

Condensed project proposal into brief summary.
Researched topic and identified different perspectives.
Composed a draft agenda for the meeting.
Corresponded with the meeting chair about agenda and participants.
Coordinated logistics for meeting (invitations, travel etc).
Learned about the on-going relationship of CISAC with different organizations that have funded or may fund CISAC activities.
Observed and participated the day of the meeting, took notes.
Helped with follow-up activities: state outcome and consider future proposals based on outcome.

2. Enhancing Biosecurity - Identifying the Legal and Regulatory Baseline: Helped identify ways to support the Office of Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) effort to catalogue regulations that affect biosecurity.

Literature review on S&T issues in China/India;
Compiling the candidate list of conference speakers on various U.S. industry sectors;
Compiling the list of U.S. companies which involve heavily businesses in China/India;
Compiling the list of think tanks, non-governmental organizations and private foundations which could be the potential co-sponsors for the China/India conference;
Compiling the candidate list and the bios of members of advisory committee for China/India conference;
Contact and hold conference calls with high-level management staff (such as partner and senior advisor) of international consulting companies and law firms to seek general concept input and potential co-sponsorship; and
Meeting experts from UC-Berkeley, the National Science Foundation, STEP Board, think tanks in DC area and foreign governmental organizations.

“I designed a website; developed a survey, collected and analyzed data; communicated with experts in the field of research ethics; gathered and analyzed background data for a wide range of staff projects; and developed a fellowship curriculum. I also attended important events held throughout the study process, including staff meetings, discussion and committee meetings, report press releases, and meetings with congressional and White House staff.”

With the Polar Research Board, I worked extensively to assist a study director and committee members to convert deliberations into a final report for the design of a cross-disciplinary Arctic Observing Network. I prepared figures and tables for the report and also helped to manage the report review process.
I conducted science outreach for the International Polar Year 2007-2008 by drafting and distributing informational letters to interest groups.
I helped to research the backgrounds of scientists that were potential candidates to serve on a new committee for a report to evaluate the contamination issues of drilling into subglacial lakes in Antarctica.
As part of the fellowship program’s seminar series, I helped to organize a public seminar on the management of electronic-waste.
I met with people in my field at the Smithsonian and NSF to discuss research possibilities for when I return to academia.
I spoke with Polar Research Board staff about my research goals, and received valuable practical advice and encouragement to establish working relationships with key people in my field.
I attended congressional hearing and briefings on energy policy, hurricane forecasting, and the Kyoto Protocol.

“While I was a Fellow at the Koshland Science Museum (KSM) I had two main projects. The first was to create a WebQuest for the current DNA exhibit targeted to middle school students who are unable to visit the Koshland Science Museum (a WebQuest is a web-based semi-guided educational/research experience). This involved: developing a concept that would be of interest to target audience, researching content and reference web-sites to be incorporated into WebQuest, and designing specific tasks and activities (both individual and group) for the students. My second project was related to new exhibit development for two exhibits at different stages of completion. For one exhibit, I was responsible for the preliminary research of Academy reports relevant to the exhibit topic. For the second, I provided input on the preliminary designs for the exhibit.”

“I researched and proposed new activities for the Global Dialogues on Emerging Science and Technologies (GDEST) Program and wrote a paper on the role for science and technology in foreign policy and diplomacy.”

“As my unit was starting work on a report a few weeks after I arrived, I got to sit in on committee formation meetings. I did very wide literature searches to write a preliminary version of the report that the committee will use at their first full meeting after I leave. I also attended the 2 day board meeting, where I met experts in the field and observed the communication between the board and those they advise, including formation of new ideas for future studies. I helped to organize a seminar on lunar property rights, which allowed me to make further contacts in my field (space exploration) in the areas of engineering, science, law, and policy. I was also the main contact, so I interacted with many kinds of people interested in our seminar, including the media. Because my unit project had no deadlines other than the end of the fellowship period, I was able to attend any Congressional briefing or other seminar I had interest in. I went to several briefings (on Iraq, Sudan, space defense, and a National Academies report), a talk by a Supreme Court justice at a think tank, attended a meeting on commercial space at the FAA, several career workshops put on by different organizations, a seminar on space tourism, and several meetings at the National Academies in areas of interest. I arranged meetings with people at the National Academies and other DC organizations and companies to get perspective on space policy and career possibilities.”

I did so many things in the short ten weeks at the Academies, but I could break down the activities into five, basic categories: Project work for CASEE, our fellows’ seminar, networking, observing policy and political activities, and living life in DC.

I was with the NAE in the CASEE program under the supervision of Norman Fortenberry. I wrote a document called “Engineering Equity Extension Service (EEES) Proposal Writing and Project Management Guidelines,” which is intended to be a guide for faculty interested in proposing and developing NSF projects in engineering education. I was also incorporated a lot of information about gender equity into the guidelines. Though I had some experience working on educational grants in astronomy, most of the knowledge required to do this project needed to be learned while at the Academies. I have learned a lot about proposal writing, project management, education and gender equity issues!
Organizing the seminar on lunar settlements proved to be very fun. I was lucky to be part of a very communicative committee.
I went to many events around town that provided information on policy or politics. I attended three congressional hearings on the subjects of Darfur, Iraq and Germany. I went to several lectures at the AAAS involving science and religion (fitting in with the current debate on evolution in the classroom), two events with the local German community regarding the recent, uncertain German elections, and I went to a notable policy speech by John McCain regarding the Iraq conflict. There were also many receptions and dinners affiliated with similar events.
The fellows and I were a very social group. There was at least one dinner/happy hour event every week, sometimes connected to one of the events mentioned above.
I taught a yoga class at 7:00 AM Thursdays, though only 3 fellows took advantage of the early morning class. I volunteered at Miriam’s kitchen (a soup kitchen for DC homeless) every Tuesday I was in town. I only missed 2 of the 10 Tuesdays I was here; it was a great experience.