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Executive Branch Policy Fellowships in Child Development 2008-2009
Application Deadline: December 15, 2007

Program and Criteria
The SRCD Executive Branch Policy Fellowship program is designed to provide greater interaction between the developmental research community and Federal research programs and policies. Following a two-week science policy orientation program at AAAS, Fellows work as resident scholars in a Federal agency that sponsors developmental research, providing advice and guidance to programs, and working in partnership with research teams within the Federal government.

Award
The selection process involves three stages: First, applications are reviewed and evaluated by the fellowship selection subcommittee of the SRCD Committee on Policy and Communications, on the basis of their research accomplishments, references, and a written statement of interest. Second, candidates for interviews are selected. Notification regarding interviews occurs in late January, and interviews are held with the committee in late February or early March. When candidates are notified that they have been selected for a Fellowship, they will have up to one week to accept the offer. The SRCD committee then recommends fellowship candidates for consideration by participating agencies. Finally, the agencies interview the candidates and make the matches for placements. Fellows' stipends begin at $67,000 depending on experience, which is determined by the Federal government pay scale. SRCD will provide each Fellow with a professional fund for moving expenses and professional travel, as well as an allowance for insurance benefits. Executive Branch Fellowship awards are contingent on the availability of Federal funds, and may be expanded up to two years

Funding Mechanisms
The funding mechanisms for SRCD Executive Branch Fellowships differ depending on the agency. Many placements are funded through Federal grants and contracts with SRCD. SRCD currently has contracts with the Administration for Children and Families and several institutes within NIH, and a grant with NSF. The Institute for Education Sciences and other Federal agencies fund SRCD Fellows through other funding mechanisms.

For fellows who are employed with an academic institution during the fellowship period and plan to return, some agencies may choose to enter into an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) agreement directly with the Fellow’s university. The IPA is a mechanism by which academic researchers take leave to work in Federal government, and the Fellow's institution may also be expected to provide some additional funds in support of the Fellow. For more explicit information about IPAs, click here.

Descriptions of Recent Executive Branch Agency Placements

How to Apply