Focus on the PA Legislature
Our Fellows provide state legislators, staff, and legislative research agencies with rigorous, nonpartisan science and technology policy research and analysis to inform policymaking. Fellow advice is critical as Pennsylvania has the nation’s largest, full-time legislature, but few members or staff have STEM backgrounds. Fellows support the increasingly complex policy-making arena, resulting in more evidence-based policy, and bolstering the commonwealth’s resilience in addressing our collective challenges.
Support Evidence-Based Policy
Fellows serve a one-year term, beginning each fall, and work alongside policy makers to evaluate complex scientific and technical issues and interpret data. Fellows do not lobby for a particular legislative outcome, but provide non-partisan, objective information to enable policymakers to make evidence-based decisions.
Recruiting & Placement
Fellows are placed in a variety of host offices. We have an AI Fellow in the Joint State Government Commission (JGSC) supported by the Hillman Foundation, College of IST and LPE. Our AI Fellow is helping the JSGC, the bicameral and bipartisan research agency of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, compile and synthesize knowledge on the current and potential future impact of AI in Pennsylvania. This work will enable the Pennsylvania General Assembly to make sound, data-driven policy and decisions on the social, ethical, and economic implications of this emerging technology.
Future fellows will be placed with the Center for Rural PA, a bicameral, bipartisan research agency focused on rural issues, as well as in the House Health Committee, to support health legislation, and the House Communications & Technology Committee, to support technology-related legislation, and in the Senate.
