Each year, the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship program recruits a cohort of fifteen PhD scientists and engineers for a year of public service and leadership training within the California State Legislature and Executive Branch.

The application for the upcoming 2023 Fellowship class opened December 1st, 2021. Applications are due March 1st, 2022 and the Fellows training begins November 1st, 2022. The 2023 Fellowship ends October 31st, 2023.

One of the most common questions we get from applicants to the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship is, “What’s it like to be a Fellow?”. In this webinar, you’ll hear directly from Fellows and Alumni about the work that Fellows do, the contributions they make, and the day-to-day life of being a Fellow.

Learn More About the Fellowship:
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Register for Upcoming Webinars:
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Get Fellows Email Updates:
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Read the Fellowship FAQ:
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Overview and Introductory Question:

00:00:00 Moderator: Sarah Brady, PhD, 2014 Fellow, Deputy Director, CCST

00:02:38 Introductions: Why did you choose the CCST Fellowship and what is one thing that surprised you about your day-to-day work?

00:02:52 Meron Tesfaye, PhD, 2020 Fellow (Placement: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee)

00:04:50 Christine Casey, PhD, 2015 Fellow (Placement: Senate Transportation and Housing Committee)

00:07:07 Carlos Puentes, PhD, 2021 Fellow (Office of Senator Wieckowski)

00:08:59 Nicole Hernandez, PhD, 2021 Fellow (Strategic Growth Council)

Q&A:

00:12:40 Can you describe a typical work day as a CCST Fellow?

00:15:57 What qualities make for a successful CCST Fellow?

00:20:09 How did the Fellowship help you with your next career steps?

00:21:52 What kind of professional development did you participate in during your Fellowship year?

00:24:20 What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your Fellowship?

00:29:03 What are the first couple weeks of the Fellowship like?

00:32:29 In what ways does your PhD expertise come into play? Does it matter if you’re a social scientist, economist, or biologist, etc.?

00:35:51 Was this a totally new path for you or did you have past affiliations with CCST or experience in policy?

00:39:38 How does your approach differ from colleagues with a more traditional government/policy background?

00:41:21 What was/is your engagement like with the alumni of the program?

00:43:32 What made you decide to pursue the fellowship?

00:46:09 What is the placement process like?

00:52:01 Can you give one example where you used your scientific skill set or expertise in the policymaking process?

00:55:03 Any final piece of advice?

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