John Mather public policy internship: Perspectives on science policy as an intern at Scientists and Engineers for America (SEA) and Congressman Bill Foster's office

In the summer of 2010, I participated in the John Mather public policy internship through AIP and SPS. I spent six weeks as an intern at Scientists and Engineers for America (SEA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages technically-trained citizens to become more engaged in US politics and the policy-making process, and six weeks as an intern for Congressman Bill Foster (D-Il 14) in the House of Representatives. These internships offered two distinct perspectives on how American science policy is crafted and showed me many ways in which scientists can be engaged in the political process.