AMS Congressional Fellowship

The American Mathematical Society (AMS), in conjunction with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), sponsors this fellowship. It includes an orientation on congressional and executive branch operations, and a year-long seminar series on issues involving science, technology and public policy. The AMS Congressional Fellow spends a year working on the staff of either a member of Congress or a congressional committee, working in legislative and policy areas requiring scientific and technical input.

Another important Fellowship that mathematical scientists are encouraged to apply for, at the same time as the AMS Congressional Fellowship, is the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship program. AAAS Fellows serve in Congress or in an Executive branch agency. (Note that the AAAS fellowship deadline is earlier than the AMS deadline; the AAAS application portal on their website is open June 1–Nov 1).

The AMS Congressional Fellow will bring his/her/their technical background and external perspective to the decision-making process in Congress. Prospective Fellows must be cognizant of and demonstrate sensitivity toward political and social issues and have a strong interest in applying personal knowledge toward solutions to societal problems.

Applications are invited from individuals in the mathematical sciences. Applicants must have a PhD or an equivalent doctoral-level degree by the application deadline of February 1 and must be U.S. citizens. Federal employees are not eligible.

Applications for the September 2026-August 2027 Fellowship year will open in the Fall of 2025. Please revisit this webpage to apply.

Application Tips

Your letter of interest should make clear why you want the fellowship and what you feel are your qualifications. What do you hope the fellowship will provide you and how does it fit in with your interests and career trajectory?
Include a description of any work with policymakers at any level that you have done, but be assured this is absolutely not necessary to apply for the fellowship.
Know that the selection committee will be looking carefully at the quality of your writing in the letter of interest you submit.
Carefully choose your letter writers. Be sure they know that you are applying for a congressional fellowship where you will be working on Capitol Hill so they can tailor their letter to your strengths as applied in that context. Equally important for them to focus on your leadership and communication skills, as your mathematics work.
Reach out to past AMS congressional fellows before applying to get a better understanding of the work fellows do, the work environment and what you need to be successful. You can get contact information for past fellows by emailing us.

Read more about the AMS Congressional Fellowship here, as the AMS marks 21 years in this fellowship program.

The fellowship definitely will strengthen my communication skills, and will allow me to apply general logic and analysis skills in a different setting than what I've been used to.” – Ellen Urheim, AMS Congressional Fellow 2023-2024 Dr. Ellen Urheim

AMS Congressional Fellows:

2024-25: Ashwin Iyengar, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP)
2023-24: Ellen Urheim, Office of Senator Bob Casey (PA), read "From Academic to Advocate."
2022-23: Duncan Wright, Office of Senator Todd Young (IN), read "Mathematics for Public Service."
2021-22: A.J. Stewart, Office of Senator Raphael Warnock (GA), read "Finding Meaning Outside Academia."
2020-21: Rachel Levy, Office of Senator Maggie Hassan (NH), read "Not Only a Postdoc: The AMS Congressional Fellowship in Mid- and Late-Career."
2019-20: Lucia Simonelli, Office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), read "Grafting Science on Congress."
2018-19: James Ricci, Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), read "From the Lecture Hall to the National Mall: My Year as the AMS Congressional Fellow."
2017-18: Margaret D. Callahan, Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), read "Science for Policy: My Year on Capitol Hill."
2016-17: Catherine Paolucci, Office of Senator Al Franken (MN), read "From Campus to Congress: Navigating Policy, Procedure, and Politics as an AMS Congressional Fellow"
2015-16: Anthony J. Macula, Office of Rep. Jim McDermott (WA-7), read "My Year as an AMS Congressional Fellow"

2014-15: Boris Granovskiy, Office of Senator Al Franken (MN)
2013-14: Karen Saxe, Office of Senator Al Franken (MN) see "My Year in the United States Senate"
2012-13: Carla D. Cotwright-Williams, Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee
2011-12: Richard Yamada, Office of Senator John Boozman (AR), read "My Year on Capitol Hill: 5 Lessons I Have Learned"
2010-11: Hugh MacMillan, Office of Senator Robert Menendez (NJ)
2009-10: Katherine Crowley, Office of Senator Al Franken (MN)
2008-09: James Rath, Office of Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (TX)
2007-08: Jeffry Phan, Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman (NM)
2006-07: Daniel Ullman, House Science Committee, read "What Does an AMS Congressional Fellow Do?"
2005-06: David Weinreich, Office of Rep. Robert Andrews (NJ)